You and Us
by carefreekutie
Summary: Wizarding Lawyer and single dad Draco Malfoy is doing his best to raise his son right and restore honor to the Malfoy name. Hermione Granger has just returned to England after spending the last four years in Paris to get away from her abusive ex. When these two meet again through a surprising mutual friend, romance ensues and they might just get their happily ever after.
1. Chapter 1

You and Us

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing.**

**Draco Pov:**

This is it. I'm going to do it. There will be no miraculous escape this time. I, Draco Abraxas Malfoy, am going to accomplish what the Dark Lord failed to do.

I'm going to kill Harry "Boy-Who-Fucking-Refused-To-Die" Potter.

His untimely demise has nothing to do with the fact that we were bitter childhood rivals in school. Nor does it pertain to the fact that the tosser always managed to best me at quidditch. (Though _obviously_ there had to have been some tampering with the snitch before each game. There's no way that with my natural skill and owning the fastest brooms on the market he could have beaten me.)

No, golden boy's end is vastly approaching because he insists on corrupting one of the few good things I've done in my twenty four years of life…my son Scorpious.

Scarhead is currently bent over laughing while my so called 'best mate' Blaise is biting down on his knuckles to keep his own laughter at bay. (And failing miserably I might add.) Scorpious is looking up at me innocently while I glare daggers at Potter's head. If looks could kill, I'm pretty sure he'd be six feet under by now. I knew coming to Diagon Alley to help him with some errands was a mistake.

"So daddy, can I" the almost three year old asks, cocking his head to one side and giving me a hopeful expression, "Please?"

I close my eyes, pinch the bridge of my nose, and let out a deep sigh. "No Scorpious, you cannot have a ferret for your birthday."

Scorpious juts out his bottom lip and pouts. "But daddy, I really want one! And Uncle Harry said you love ferrets. He said you want to be one."

At this, Blaise slumps over and slaps his knees howling with laughter. Potter, if possible, laughs harder than before and clutches Blaise's shoulder for support. People around us and those leaving the pet shop are giving them funny glances, but I can't enjoy them making a fool of themselves. I settle for shooting another venomous glare at the duo and mentally remind myself that I've worked too hard to end up in Azkaban for murder.

When the idiots have finally calmed down, I turn back to Scorpious and say, "A pet is a huge responsibility that I don't think you're ready for yet. We'll see about getting one when you're older. But definitely _not _a ferret." Last week I brought Scorp with me to Diagon Alley while I was meeting with a client to discuss her case. As a reward for being so good during my meeting, I took him to the pet shop so he could look at the animals. I really wished I hadn't, because after seeing some puppies in the display window he decided he wanted one. I had to physically drag him away. Since then he's been on a tangent for getting an animal of some kind for his birthday, though I know the ferret was all Potter's idea. I doubt Scorp even knows what they are.

"Tell you what, how about we head over to Florean Fortescue's for some ice cream?" I ask hoping to get his mind off animals for now. He nods eagerly, grabs my hand, and begins pulling me down the street. Blaise falls into step behind me and Potter follows him with a smile still plastered to his stupid face.

Seven years ago, I'm sure this scene would have shocked the wizarding world- the fearless Gryffindor savior openly hanging out with two former death eater Slytherins. Hell it would have shocked us too, but after the war everything changed.

My mother and I were facing serious charges and many years in Azkaban. Our name had been sullied, and we no longer held even a fraction of the power that we used to. So many wanted to see us behind bars and I had come to accept my fate. But to the shock of everyone, including me, saint Potter testified in our favor at the trials and told the court how I lowered my wand that night on the Astronomy Tower, didn't identify the 'Golden Trio' when brought to the manor, and even how mother lied to Voldemort about Potter being dead.

In the end we got off with a few fines and some hours of community service, a mere slap on the wrist really. I found Potter after the trial, thanked him, and we called a truce. I decided I wanted to build up the Malfoy name the right way, and applied for an internship as a law apprentice. Kingsley approved and I joined that following August. I worked diligently to help put the remaining death eaters behind bars, and within a year and a half and several cases that were successful because of me, I became an official Wizarding Lawyer.

For the first time in my life, I was in charge and making the right choices. Mother was back in social good graces after making several donations to help rebuild the wizarding world and even reconnected with her sister Andromeda. With Lucius no longer able to control us, (having died in the final battle by Aberforth Dumbledore's wand), we were finally free.

Unfortunately, even though he was gone, Lucius found a way to torment me even from beyond the grave. Two years after the battle, Edgar Greengrass approached me with a betrothal contract he and Lucius created years before. The contract was between me and Edgar's youngest daughter Astoria, who had just graduated from Hogwarts.

I was absolutely furious and refused at first, until Edgar pointed something out. Lucius had thought I may try to refute it, and thought ahead for a way to make me go through with the marriage. The evil bastard brought my mother's life into it.

He had used a dark magic spell similar to that of an Unbreakable Vow. It required a few drops of my mother's blood. If the marriage did not take place within six months of Astoria coming of age, my mother would die. I remember when I confronted her, she sat at the dining room table and sobbed. Malfoys were never allowed to show emotion, so this caught me completely off guard.

She told me how when Lucius first brought up the contract, she had refused not wanting me to enter an arranged marriage as she had. But Lucius was not someone who would take no for an answer. He took her blood by force and proceeded with the arrangement. She thought that when Lucius died, the contract would become invalid. Clearly it didn't, and we found out the only way out was if Lucius or Edgar revoked it, which Edgar wouldn't do no matter how much we offered him.

Mother repeatedly told me how sorry she was and to let her die, but I couldn't do that to her. I loved her too much and she was the only person who had ever loved me. So two months later, Astoria and I tied the knot with a very expensive and lavish wedding ceremony.

Astoria was a cold hearted cruel bitch. The minute I met her, I knew married life would be hell. All she wanted was our money and newly reclaimed social status. She openly showed her hate for my friendship with Potter and was disgusted that I no longer held to my father's ideas on pureblood supremacy. After watching Lucius abuse me and my mother, I vowed never to hit a woman, but Astoria brought me close to breaking that vow many times

If she wasn't off spending my money, or partying with her equally racist and stuck up friends, she was nagging me about my open support of half-bloods and muggleborns, or my cases against wizards who in her words, 'fought for a pure and noble cause.' I was losing my mind and threw myself into work just to avoid her. In no time, I moved up the ladder and became the most sought after Lawyer in the entire ministry.

Four months after the wedding, we found out she was expecting. We'd only been intimate a handful of times, but the sooner we produced an heir, the less we had to be together. I dreaded bringing a child into our lives fearing that it would end up like me or worse, Astoria. However, my feelings drastically changed the first time I held Scorpious in my arms. I never knew it was possible to love someone so much you'd just met, but in that moment I knew I would have given my life for him in the blink of an eye. I swore I would not be like Lucius and would do everything in my power to raise Scorpious right.

Astoria never lifted a finger to help with him. She was still asleep when I left for work in the mornings, and nearly always gone when I returned, leaving him in the care of a house elf. Sometimes I would hear her stumbling in during the early hours of the morning after a night of partying, but I was too exhausted between work and taking care of Scorp to confront her.

Mother and Andromeda helped out a lot, and on some weekends Ginny Potter would help out too so that I could catch up on sleep or review cases. She and I had developed a friendship as well and she wanted to get some practice in before her and Potter's first child was born a few months later. I was very grateful because without them, I don't know how I would have done it.

When I was absolutely as miserable as could be in my marriage, my best mate Blaise came through for me. Like myself, Blaise wanted to turn over a new leaf after the war and became an auror with Potter. Not that he needed the money, but I think he enjoyed the action and adrenaline rush the job called for. Although he had changed a lot and no longer held onto his prejudiced beliefs (Not that he really believed in it much anyway), he was still a heartless man slag when it came to women. He'd charm them into his bed and break their hearts the next day. As the king of one night stands, he'd probably remain a bachelor for the rest of his life and that was fine with him. Some women just didn't understand that, particularly Daphne Greengrass.

Although not nearly as evil as her sister Astoria, Daphne was still a conniving, manipulative bitch when she wanted to be. She and Blaise began a friends with benefits relationship back in our sixth year at Hogwarts, at least that's how Blaise saw it. Daphne considered it the beginning of a relationship and the only reason she got out of a betrothal contract herself was because she'd convinced Edgar she was to be the next Mrs. Zabini, and most pureblooded rich men stayed a good fifty feet away from Maria Zabini or 'The Black Widow.' Blaise had no intention of settling down with her, and tried to make that clear two years after we graduated by telling her he was through with her. Daphne didn't seem to get the message.

She practically stalked him after that. If he went out drinking at a bar or club with friends, she would randomly appear. She'd show up to his flat in the middle of the night and try to talk him into taking her back, and once she even sent an owl saying she was pregnant and he was the father. He knew she was lying because he was always careful. Seeing how nothing was working, she became obsessively crazy and came up with another scheme to trap him into a marriage.

One night while Blaise was out at a club with some buddies from work, Daphne showed up under the ruse of just wanting to party. He knew she had an ulterior motive and told his co workers to keep an eye on her. Sure enough, when Blaise went to the loo, one of the aurors saw her slip a potion into his unguarded drink. From the looks of it, he deduced it was ammortentia. The auror warned him, and Blaise pretended to drink it and followed Daphne when she suggested they go back to her place. Once there, Blaise made them tea and slipped veritaserum into her cup. After she drank it, he questioned her on where she got the ammortentia and she confessed her father had been brewing and selling the potion at his apothecary in Knockturn Alley.

Once the war was over and Voldemort's story became known, love potions, especially ammortentia became banned. Potioneers studied them and found out that if a child was conceived from a love or lust potion, they were born without emotions and feelings. These children were often sadistic and leading criminals, and it was discovered that a few death eaters had been children born from love potions. The ministry made them illegal and took them off the curriculum for students at school.

Seeing this as my way out, Blaise flooed over that night and told me everything. I hired a private investigator to obtain evidence against Edgar and was not disappointed. In fact, Edgar was also brewing and selling other illegal potions and poisons the ministry had banned. I approached him a few days later and showed him all the evidence against him and threatened to turn him in unless he revoked the contract. He begrudgingly agreed, although the day after he revoked it Blaise and Potter stormed in, arrested him, and shut down his apothecary. He's currently serving a thirty year sentence in Azkaban.

I immediately started the divorce proceedings, though Astoria tried to put up a fight. I told her she could keep the Malfoy family ring and I would give her a huge sum of money if she would sign over all parental rights to me and stay away from us. She agreed and by the time Scorpious was six months old, she was completely out of our lives. Blaise was also finally able to get rid of Daphne as well, seeing how he threatened to put her in the cell next to her father for the stunt she tried to pull.

Now Scorpious will be three in a week's time. He's my main reason for working as hard as I do to make our last name something to be proud of. I like to think I'm doing a pretty good job. At least that's what mother, Andromeda, Blaise, and the Potters say. Scorp spends a fair amount of time with Harry and Ginny and is even best friends with their son James. He's pretty spoiled, I'll admit. Between his nana and I, he gets nearly everything he wants although I'm still adamantly putting my foot down on the whole pet thing. Still, I try to make his childhood something he can look back happily on unlike me.

We meet Ginny, James, and Teddy, (who spends an equal amount of time with the Potters as well as Andromeda), at Fortescues. The boys enjoy their ice cream while Blaise, Harry, and Ginny enjoy more ferret jokes at my expense. Seriously, will they ever let that go? Probably not. Once they get it out of their systems, we indulge in happy chatter and swap stories about our lives and jobs.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Scorp staring longingly across the table. I follow his gaze and watch Ginny wipe some ice cream off James' mouth then kiss his forehead. Though he's never asked about his mother, I know he notices he doesn't have one. I feel bad for him, but there's really not much I can do. Most women I meet are only interested in my money or name. They couldn't care less about Scorpious, and I refuse to subject him to another woman like Astoria.

And if I'm being completely honest, I'm terrified to even think about settling down again. After watching my parent's disaster of a marriage and living through my train wreck of one, I don't really think another trip down the aisle is in the cards for me.

But as I continue to see the longing on my son's face, I wish he had a loving mother too. I pull him onto my lap and hug him close, then ask him again what all he wants for his birthday. He's told me so many times, I could recite it in my sleep, but at least he's not thinking about what he doesn't have. As he continues to talk, I think about how only having one parent might be a disadvantage in his growth. I want the best for him in all possible ways, but I don't know how to go about this. If only I could find a woman who would look past our name and wealth and love Scorp like her own.

**AN: So here's the first chapter! Is it worth continuing? Please let me know! I have the next few chapters planned out, but I honestly don't know where this story could go. If you guys like it, next chapter will be Hermione's POV!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing.**

**AN: Thank you for the reviews! Before you start reading this chapter, I'm letting you know that I tweaked some of what was said in the books around a bit. Also Ron lovers beware! He is a very bad guy in this story. Warning for some intense violence in this chapter.**

**Hermione Pov:**

I take one last look at myself in the mirror and give an approving nod. My hair, no longer bushy, falls in effortless waves to the middle of my back and I've got on just enough make up to highlight my natural features. Going for a casual look, I've chosen a coral colored tank top, blue jean shorts, and a pair of gold sandals. September is only two days away, but this heat wave doesn't look like it'll be letting up anytime soon.

I feel considerably underdressed with my beachy looking attire since I've grown so accustomed to dressing in all of the latest fashion. Not many people know this but I've always been interested in style. I just never saw the point in showing it back at Hogwarts because we always had to be in uniforms and robes anyway. Now I put an effort into my appearance and after spending the last four years in Paris, my love for fashion has only grown.

Today though, I've opted for a comfortable look because I'm heading to Diagon Alley to help George with the joke shop. When he found out I was coming back, he owled me wondering if I could be an extra set of hands because this was one of his busiest times of year. It's the Saturday before the train at King's Cross will be departing to take all the students back to Hogwarts, and he needs all the help he can get. I had agreed wholeheartedly and sent Harry and Ginny an owl changing our plans. Originally I was going to spend the night at their place upon my arrival back last night, but since I got in so late I decided to stay in my parent's old house and meet them at the shop today.

I lock up the house and head down the street to the nearest apparition point. Making sure no muggle are around, I disapparate on the spot and land in the Leaky Cauldron. Quickly heading out of the bar area, I come up to the brick wall serving as the barrier. I tap the bricks in the correct order and the wall begins to shift and move as Diagon Alley appears before my eyes. Oh how I've missed it!

A year and a half after the war, I went to Australia and tracked down my parents. Upon restoring their memories and explaining why I did what I had, they embraced me and took me back with open arms. It was a wonderful reunion, but short lived. A few weeks later, I received an owl from Kingsley saying I'd gotten the job I'd applied for in the Department of International Magical Cooperation. He also said that my request for an immediate out of country assignment had been approved and I would be port keyed to the French Ministry the following week. With me heading off to Paris, and their dentistry going so well, my parents saw no reason to return to England and continue their lives as Wendell and Monica Wilkens.

We still remain close and I make time to visit them a few times each year. The house in England was paid off and still in their name. I'm sure they'll return home one day.

My parents assumed I took the job I did because I wanted to travel and make a difference in other countries. While both of these assumptions are true, only Harry and Ginny know the other reason behind my decision to leave home. In the year and a half following the war, rather than moving on and putting the traumatic experience behind me, I became caught up in an entirely new nightmare; my ex-boyfriend Ronald Weasley.

I honestly don't know what I ever saw in that prick. I mean all we ever seemed to do in school was fight. He was insanely jealous and always made me feel terrible about myself.

Starting all the way back in first year, I still remember crying my eyes out after he called me a nightmare. I was honestly only trying to help him in class. And if I hadn't told him he was saying it wrong, he wouldn't have been able to _ Wingardium Leviosa_ that club away from the troll and one or possibly all three of us could have died.

Then there was the night of the Yule Ball in fourth year. When we first found out about it, I tried dropping subtle hints to get Ron to ask me. I'd begun to have feelings slightly more than friendship for him since the first time we went to Hogsmeade together in third year, and thought he might have returned them. When he showed no interest, I brushed my mixed feelings aside and readily accepted Viktor Krum'a invitation.

I spent hours getting ready for the ball, making sure I looked perfect. I didn't want to always be thought of as 'the know-it-all bookworm' or considered 'one of the guys' by everyone. I thought my efforts had paid off when I entered the Great Hall on Viktor's arm and all eyes turned to me. For the first time in my life, I felt absolutely beautiful.

But Ron killed that feeling mere hours later. I'd seen his sour look during the opening dance and felt his eyes boring holes into me the whole duration of the ball. When I tried confronting him to see what had him in such a foul mood, he snapped at me saying I was a traitor to the school, our house, and even to Harry. He wouldn't listen to my reasoning that the whole point of the Tri-Wizard Tournament was to promote unity, and coldly told me that Viktor only asked out easy girls and that's how everyone at the ball saw me. He further taunted me by saying I couldn't possibly be so stupid as to think Viktor was truly interested in me when he could get any girl he wanted. I cried myself to sleep that night feeling dirty and uglier than I'd ever felt in my entire life.

Even though my self esteem was practically destroyed after that, I pretended nothing happened in front of Harry and everyone else. He hadn't been there when Ron said those horrible things and I didn't want him to have to pick between us especially since he had enough on his plate that year. I was also terrified that if it came down to it, he'd pick Ron over me.

Ron never apologized, but after a while I began to think he might have been interested in me again. Looking back now I know he was toying with my emotions on purpose to get me to help him with homework and classes. He'd give me compliments and pretend to listen to me, and then ask to copy my work or try to talk me into just doing his assignment for him. Sometimes I did because I thought it would win him over, but then he kissed that slag Lavender Brown in sixth year. I was completely crushed and he didn't seem to care. That was one of the worst years for all of us, and I should have distanced myself from him then.

I always was quick to forgive though. It also didn't help that the next year was spent in close quarters with him in a tent while hunting horcruxes. He was difficult to be around and always brought about tension. Then he left, leaving us to complete the mission. Harry and I became a lot closer and formed a special bond. Not in a lovers way because he was too in love with Ginny and I just didn't see him in that way, but in a brother and sister type relationship. We'd been there with each other through thick and thin and I realized that Harry would never abandon me as I'd feared in fourth year. We were family.

When Ron returned however, I gave him another chance almost immediately, though Harry was a bit skeptical of him. We continued our hunt and finally ended up at Hogwarts for the final battle. When we were in the Chamber of Secrets and had just destroyed another horcrux, Ron suddenly grabbed me and kissed me. Though this had been what I wanted for so many years, it didn't feel like it was supposed to. I thought it was just because of the circumstances we were under when it happened.

Harry defeated Voldemort and all was well until we learned of Fred's death. It was devastating to the entire Weasley clan as well as Harry and I. I wanted to be there for Ron and accepted immediately when he asked me to move in with him later that month. We were finally giving our relationship a shot, but it didn't take long for things to go horribly wrong.

The fame going to his head was the first thing. He was the only one of the 'Golden Trio' that wanted to share more of the horrific war stories. But the stories he shared were significantly warped versions of what really happened. Ron twisted them around to make himself always come across as the hero and being the one to save Harry and I. he also conveniently 'left out' the part where he ditched us.

After a few weeks of living together, he became very controlling. He didn't like me going out much and told me he didn't want me working. We'd all received money for our contribution in the war, but without work, we'd only be able to live off it for a few months. Besides, we'd already spent some to purchase an apartment and bills had to be paid. When I tried telling him this, he said we were fine for now. I thought this had something to do with his grief for Fred, so I gave in without much fight.

Four months later the money was running low and I was beginning to get fed up with him. He was an absolute slob and left the apartment trashed. I cleaned because I couldn't stand the filth, but everyday he left behind a new mess. I confronted him about it and told him he needed to clean up after himself and we needed to get jobs. He said he'd get one but it was my job to clean house and have a meal prepared for him. We got into a huge row about his sexist comment and that was the first time he hit me.

He left that night and I tended to my bruised cheek. I couldn't believe he'd actually hit me. I contemplated what I would do, because I didn't want to stay with him. He came back the next day with flowers and an apology. He said he didn't mean to and that it was just him still grieving for Fred. He also told me that he'd gotten a job and was the new keeper for the Chudley Cannons. He begged me not to leave him and said he'd never hurt me again, and I stupidly believed him.

It wasn't long before he went back to the controlling slob he was before. He kept accusing me of having some kind of secret affair with Harry behind his back and said it was going on since we'd been alone together in the tent. Their relationship had never recovered after the war, and Ron's lies about the war stories infuriated Harry. They completely dissolved their friendship. Ron had been my first and only lover, having lost my virginity to him when we first moved in together, and I tried to tell him there was nothing going on between Harry and I. He didn't listen and said I was forbidden to see Harry ever again. I told him he couldn't decide who my friends were and he hit me again. Three times that night. There was no apology after that.

If other men looked at me when we were out or tried to talk to me, he blamed me for attracting the attention or the way I dressed. He demanded I wear baggy shirts or ugly skirts that reached my ankles and the floor when out in public and before long he almost never let me out of the apartment period. I complied because I was too scared to defy him.

He used his paycheck to party or wasted it completely on alcohol. The nights he came home drunk were the worst because he always accused me of something I hadn't done and would hit me, sometimes multiple times. I'd perfected a glamour charm to hide the bruises on the few times he let me out of the apartment. Harry sent numerous owls to me thinking I was ignoring him because of his fight with Ron. I responded in secret letting him know that I still loved him, but didn't let on about what was happening. Things were starting to go right for Harry, and I didn't want to burden him with my problems.

Once after Ron came home the night before in a drunken rage and pushed me around quite a bit, I owled Harry asking him to meet me in Diagon Alley. Ron was passed out on the bed, and wouldn't be up for at least a few more hours. I glamoured myself as usual, and met Harry at a tea shop.

He may not have known Ron was abusing me, but Harry definitely wasn't daft and knew something was wrong. He could tell I wasn't happy and set me straight. "You've got to leave him 'Mione" he'd said. "Keeping you locked in that apartment isn't healthy. And people notice that you're not around! I can't tell you how many times I've been asked about you. He's not the same person he was when we were kids. You have to move on." I knew he was right. I couldn't let Ron control me for the rest of my life. I didn't know how I was going to do it, but I told Harry I would leave him.

A few days after our talk, I was able to talk Ron into letting me out by saying I needed to go grocery shopping. Truthfully I went out to go look at a few apartments. I wasn't having much luck so I stepped into a small tea shop to grab a drink. Before I got to the door, I happened to look down at a newspaper stand right outside the shop. A picture of Ron caught my attention, so I grabbed one and gasped.

_**"Famous War Hero Ron Weasley Fired from Chudley Cannons for Public Intoxication, Reckless Behavior, and Failure to Show Up to Practices!"**_ the headline screamed followed by three pictures. One depicted Ron stumbling around the street by a pub, drink from a bottle of firewhiskey, then smash it on the pavement. The other two showed him groping and making out with different women in an alley. I was beyond furious. How dare he call me a whore and accuse me of cheating on him when he was doing that very thing! On top of that, he'd been fired and hadn't said anything!

I apparated back to the apartment and slammed the door. Ron looked up from the fridge where he was getting another beer. I stormed over to him and shoved the paper into his face.

"YOU BASTARD!" I screamed. "HOW COULD YOU? AFTER EVERYTHING I'VE DONE FOR YOU!"

Ron looked shocked for a minute as he read the headline and saw the pictures. Turning to me he said, "Herms, baby I-"

"DON'T YOU BABY ME RONALD WEASLEY!" I shouted cutting him off. Then in a calmer voice I said, "How dare you cheat on me with these whores! And then you had the nerve to accuse me of being unfaithful? You've been cheating on me the whole time haven't you?!"

His expression turned from shock to anger. "Well I had to get my needs fulfilled somehow! You couldn't keep me satisfied. And I wasn't going to let you whore around on me without getting some kind of compensation"

I gaped at him. Was he serious? He still thought I'd cheated. How could I when he kept me locked in this apartment day after day? I'd been trying to support him for over a year, completely putting my dreams and life on hold. I forgave him every time he hurt me, though he showed no remorse. But this was it. I'd had enough.

Glaring at him and putting as much venom in my tone as I could I replied, "We're done Ronald. I never want to see you again." With that, I turned on my heel and walked to our bedroom to pack my things.

"What?! You can't leave me! Hey, get back here!" I heard him call, but I'd already pulled my suitcase out and was beginning to pull my clothes from the drawers to put in it. "You're not leaving!" he spat from the doorway, but I ignored him and continued packing my things. So focused was I on my task, I didn't hear him come up behind me.

He grabbed my upper arm tightly and jerked me around to face him. "Did you hear what I said? You're not leaving!" he yelled in my face. I tried twisting out of his grip, but he only held tighter. "Let me go!" I screamed. "You can't control me anymore!" He was bruising my arm and only increasing the pressure. I tried to pry his fingers from me and never saw it coming.

His fist smashed into the left side of my face, turning my head with the force of the blow, and threw me violently to the ground. I clutched my face and tried to scoot away from him, but he grabbed my ankle and pulled me back. He kicked me in the side, then leaned over me and ripped open my shirt. Straddling me, he said in a menacing tone, "I own you, you little slut. You will not talk to me that way again, and you will _never _leave me!" He began to roughly grope my breasts through my bra, and pinched my nipples hard.

I tried to buck him off, but he smacked my face again. I could taste blood on my lip. He bit my skin right above one of my breast and I cried out in pain. Struggling to get him off once more, he drew back and punched me in the stomach.

He moved down to tear off my skirt. I knew if I didn't do something fast, he was going to violate me in the worst way possible. Thinking quickly, I kicked out my leg trying to buck him off again. He was partially drunk from his earlier drinking and the force of my kicking tipped him to the side just enough for me to reach down and grab my wand from my back pocket. He righted himself and pulled his hand back to hit me again, but I pointed my wand at him and shouted "Stupefy!"

Ron flew back, hit the wall, and crumpled into an unconscious heap on the floor. On an adrenaline rush, I used my wand to fix my clothes, spelled everything into my suitcase, shrunk it, and apparated to the street I knew 12 Grimmauld Place was located.

The wards recognized me as I drew closer and the house revealed itself. I rushed to the front door and pounded on it, praying that Harry was home. It was around three in the afternoon and I had no idea if he was back from auror training or not. Thankfully, luck was on my side because a few seconds later, he opened the door. "Mione?" His eyes widened when he took in my appearance. "What the hell happ-"

Before he could finish his question, I collapsed into his arms and began to sob uncontrollably as the events of the last hour and the past months finally caught up with me. Harry lifted me in his arms and carried me into the sitting room just down the hall. He sat me down on the couch, but continued to hold me and let me cry, not saying anything. My sobs finally faded to soft whimpers after a while, but I was in still in shock.

"I'm just going to floo call someone, I'll be right back" he told me, but I was in too much of a daze to answer. In a matter of minutes, he came back with Ginny on his heels.

"Mione?" Ginny asked softly crouching down in front of me and clasping my hands. Harry sat beside me on the couch again and put his arm around me. Ginny reached up and tentatively touched my chin, bringing my focus back to her. "What happened?"

I took a deep breath, then told them everything, When I was done, Ginny had tears in her eyes and reached up to hug me whispering how sorry she was. Harry had stood and began pacing back and forth in front of us. "I'll kill him" he hissed. "I swear to Merlin, I'll fucking kill him."

"No Harry, he's not worth it" I said.

He looked up at me in disbelief. "Not worth it? Mione he's not about to get away with what he did to you! If you hadn't stupefied him-"  
"But I did!" I cried not wanting to broach that topic. "I did and now I'm free. He can't hurt me anymore Harry, so please just let it go. Besides" I continued taking Ginny's hand, "The Weasley's don't need to lose anymore children."

For over an hour Harry and Ginny tried to convince me to press charges against him, but I refused. I didn't want anyone else to know and swore them both to secrecy when they finally, begrudgingly, complied. Ginny healed my face and body and I stayed at Grimmauld Place for a few days. I decided I was going to find my parents, which Ron wouldn't let me do, but first I sent in a request and and application to the ministry. I left after about a week at Harry's to begin my search, and put everything that happened behind me.

When I arrived in Paris, I immediately fell in love with the city. What started out as me only supposed to be there on a temporary assignment, turned into me completely transferring to the French ministry and buying a flat close to work. I was able to set better standards for trade and regulate international standards pertaining to education such as cauldron thickness. Harry and Ginny visited when they could and on one trip decided to elope. Molly wasn't too happy about not being able to throw her only daughter a wedding, but she eventually got over it.

Harry and Ginny's visits became less and less when Harry's career as an auror really took off and Ginny began playing for Puddlemere United. Then my godson James came along and Harry was promoted to Head Auror. We kept in touch by owls, but it wasn't the same. They had begged me to come back ever since James was born, but I just wasn't ready. However over the last few months I was beginning to miss England and my friends terribly. Kingsley was impressed with my accomplishments and begged me to come work for him offering all kinds of raises and vacations. I decided it was time to come back after four long but wonderful years.

Now I'm standing in front of the joke shop. I can't stop the grin from forming on my face as I step into the store and call out "Hello? Anyone here?"

I hear some shuffling at the end of one aisle and seconds later George appears in front of me. He embraces me tightly and with a silly grin says, "Welcome back Mione! Good to have you home."

"Thanks George, it's good to be home" I reply. "Are Harry and Ginny here?"

"Not yet, but they should be any minute" he says leading me to the back of the store where boxes of new products are waiting to be shelved. "I cannot thank you enough for helping me out. I really need to look into hiring extra help, but with the baby coming, we're trying to save up."

"No problem I'm happy to help! How is Angelina by the way?" George and she had finally tied the knot a year ago and were expecting their first child sometime in November.

"Good, good, she's out visiting her mom and sister this weekend." He replied.

We heard the front door open and a small voice call out, "Uncle George?"

"Back here James" he called out.

Small footsteps were hurrying towards us and a second later a small boy appeared looking exactly like a miniature version of Harry minus the glasses and scar. "Aunt Mione!" he exclaimed running towards me.

"James!" I reply with equal excitement as I scoop him into my arms and hug him tight. I see him at least twice a year, once during the summer and once during the holidays. It's not enough and Harry and Ginny pointed that out to guilt me into returning. I'll never let them know it worked. "James, you've gotten so big! You're growing up too fast." I say. I can't believe he's almost three.

I set him down where he runs over to George who shows him some of the new products. I turn back to the doorway to see Harry and Ginny grinning at me. Ginny walks over first and hugs me tightly. "It's so good to have you here Hermione" she whispers before stepping back. Harry comes up then and wraps me in his arms. "Welcome home Mione" he says. He pulls back and with a serious look says, "Don't go back to Paris. You've been gone long enough and we need you here. I'll kidnap you if I have to."

I laugh and tease, "Isn't that sort of going against your job Mr. Head Auror?"

He grins. "I think it'll be overlooked if I say so. After all I am 'The Harry Potter', chosen one and hero for all wizard kind!" His grin vanishes and the serious look comes back. "Honestly Hermione, move back for good. I don't want you to miss anymore of James' life."

I grasp his shoulders and look him in the eye. "Neither do I Harry. I'm staying. I'm home."

The next few hours we spend stocking shelves, opening the store, and helping customers. George wasn't lying when he said this was his busiest time of year. Finally around three, business settles down and there are only a few customers browsing around. I perch myself on a stool near the register and James crawls up in my lap. The poor thing missed his nap today and the effects were already showing.

The door opens again and I see Teddy Lupin holding the hand of a small boy I don't recognize, and running over to Harry and Ginny with a scared look on his face. He says something to them and the next thing I know, Harry is running out of the shop with his wand out. Ginny leads Teddy and the boy over to me and says, "Hermione would you please take all three boys in the back for a little while and keep them entertained?" I want to ask what's going on, but she has a pleading look in her eyes, so I just nod.

Teddy is already pulling the boy to the room and James is following, When we get there, I turn to face them. I notice that the one I don't recognize is crying and Teddy is visibly shaking. James is awkwardly patting the other boy on the head, not knowing what to do.

"Teddy I think there are some toys in the corner over there. Why don't you and James go pick some out" I ask trying to ease him from whatever has him spooked. He nods and goes to look through them with James toddling behind him.

I crouch down in front of the boy and pat his back. "What's wrong sweetie?" I ask softly. He looks up at me with tears in his eyes and I feel so bad for him. This child is absolutely beautiful. He has platinum blonde hair, grey eyes red rimmed from crying, and pale skin. His cheekbones are high and his face is full and cherub like.

"T-t-the bad man tried to hurt m-me. And n-n-now he's gonna hurt d-d-daddy" he chokes out through tears. I pull the boy into my arms, stand up and rub soothing circles on his back as he cries into my shoulder. Rocking him back and forth, I say "Shh…don't worry. My friend Harry is out there right now helping your daddy. He won't let the bad man hurt him."

He calms down after that and pulls back to look at me. "You're friends with Uncle Harry?" he asks.

I nod and say, "Yes. My name is Hermione, but you can call me Mione. What's your name?" Because he came in with Teddy, I already deduced that he knew Harry and Ginny well. Harry had told me on a few visits and over some owls that he'd become friends with a few former Slytherins, one in particular. I have a pretty good idea who this boy is and his answer confirms my suspicions.

"Scorpious" he replies. Yep, knew it. There's only one family I know that name their children after stars and constellations. I'm currently holding my childhood tormentor, Draco Malfoy's son in my arms.

I wonder how Malfoy would feel about a mudblood touching his child, but I push the thought away when I hear Scorpious start to sniffle again. He needs comfort and reassurance right now.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you Scorpious" I smile cheerfully at him. "How old are you?"

He brightens considerably at this question and says, "I'll be three on Friday, and I'm having a huge birfday party!"

"That sounds like fun! You sure are a big boy" I tell him tickling his belly. He giggles and then catches sight of something over my shoulder. "Daddy!" he cries out happily.

I turn my head slowly and for the first time six years, meet the grey eyes of my school rival.

**AN: Whew! This was a tough chapter to write! Its so much longer than the first, but she has a lot to her story. Let me know how you liked it!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing**

**Draco Pov:**

"Daddy!" my subconscious registers before a sudden weight lands on my chest. I let out an "Oomph" and sit up quickly. Scorpious falls into my lap and grins up at me. "Get up daddy. We have to go to nana's house. Aunt 'Meda and Teddy will be there!" He's bouncing in excitement.

I groan and look over at the small clock on my nightstand. It's only eight in the morning. So much for sleeping in. "Scorp, we're going over to nana's for lunch. Teddy and Aunt 'Meda aren't there yet" I tell him.

He sticks his bottom lip out and pouts. "But I want to see Teddy noooowww" he whines. Scorpious adores Teddy and looks up to him as an older brother. Mother and Andromeda often have lunch or go shopping together, and Andromeda brings Teddy along if the Potters can't watch him. When this happens she tries to get me and Scorp to tag along so the boys can keep each other entertained.

"Sorry kiddo, it's still too early to see him" I say patting his head. He huffs, crosses his arms, and looks down in though. "Well now what are we gonna do" he asks, tone still whiny.

"We could go back to sleep" I mutter. I was having a particularly good dream involving a beautiful witch writhing underneath me in pleasure. Scorp looks back up at me in annoyance. "I don't wanna go back to sleep, that's boring! You're boring daddy!"

I quirk one eyebrow and smirk mischieviously at him. "Boring you say?" Before he can reply, I flip him over onto the bed and begin tickling him. He laughs and aquirms trying to get out of my grasp. "Stop! Daddy stop!" he gasps out between giggles.

"Say I'm the most fun daddy in the whole world! Say it!" By now I'm laughing with him.

"You're the most funnest daddy in the whole world!" he manages to shout out. "That's right, and don't you forget it" I say scooping him up and kissing his forehead. "Come on, let's go down and eat some breakfast."

I carry him downstairs where Tilly, our house elf, already has breakfast waiting for us. Once we finish, Tilly cleans up and looks after Scorpious while I go shower. Tilly watches him during the week unless I know I'll be working late, in which case I send him to mother. Weekends I try to devote entirely to him and family.

We pass the time by playing together and just talking. Scorp is a very smart child, and I know he'll be top of his class. He has a lot of insight for a three year old and is able to understand things that a normal toddler would find complex. Before I know it, we're flooing over to my childhood home for lunch.

When I first started working as a lawyer, I wanted a place of my own and the Manor held too many bad memories for me. I found a nice three bedroom two bathroom townhouse on the more expensive side of wizarding London. I've lived there ever since.

When we step out of the floo Dory, my mother's personal elf, tells us lunch will be served in the sun room. Thanking her, I lead Scorpious towards it and see that Teddy and Andromeda have already arrived. I greet mother and Andromeda with a kiss on the cheek, and they fuss over Scorpious. He obviously enjoys the attention. What can I say, he is a Malfoy.

Lunch is spent in pleasant chatter and afterwards Teddy and Scorp play in the gardens. Before long, I notice Scorp getting tired and put him down for a nap in my old room. While he sleeps, I toss a quaffle back and forth in the air with Teddy. The kid loves quidditch and displays a natural talent for it. Potter swears he'll be a chaser for the Gryffindork quidditch team, but I'll make a Slytherin of him yet.

A couple hours later, Scorp has come down from his nap and we're all enjoying afternoon tea outside. An owl swoops down and drops a letter in front of mother, the perches itself on a nearby window ledge clearly waiting for a response. Mother opens the letter and quickly scans its contents. "It appears there has been a new project proposed. Kingsley is wondering if we can come in today and hear the proposal" she says looking at Andromeda.

Mother had also been working diligently to build up the Malfoy name. Her donations to the ministry alone helped rebuild most of our world and her contributions to various charities have helped with research and development. I think she enjoys being able to do something for the community rather than being a trophy wife and told to 'shut up and look pretty.' Recently, she and Andromeda have been wanting to start their own charity or oversee a project by themselves. I mentioned it to Kingsley a few months ago and he's been keeping his eyes open for one, and owling them if one comes up. So far they haven't found the right one.

"I wish I could go with you Cissa, but I don't think Teddy could sit through a meeting" Andromeda sighs. "I would ask the Potters to watch him, but they're helping one of the Weasley's with that joke shop."

Mother nods understandingly, but I can tell she's disappointed. She feels terrible for the years lost between her and her sister, (even though it was all Lucius' fault because he wouldn't let her contact Andromeda) and tries to compensate by spending as much time with her as possible. I remember Potter telling me about helping out yesterday in the ice cream parlour. He also said that he was meeting a very good friend there and seemed really happy about it. We didn't discuss it much because James and Scorp picked that moment to fling ice cream at each other.

"Andromeda, why don't you go ahead with mother for this meeting and I'll take the boys to Diagon Alley" I offer.

Mother looks hopeful and so does Andromeda. "Oh but Draco dear, don't you have plans for the rest of the day?" she asks.

"No, I'm prepared for all my cases next week, and don't have anything better to do. And if it's not too crowded, I'll even take them by the joke shop to see everyone."

"Please can we go with Uncle Draco, Grandma? Please?" Teddy pipes up with Scorp throwing in a "Please Aunt 'Meda?" She smiles at them and says, "If Draco doesn't mind, it's fine with me."

Half an hour later I'm walking down the busy streets of Diagon Alley holding one of the hands of each boy in mine. Nearly every store we pass is filled with students getting last minute supplies before they leave for Hogwarts on Monday. The further down the street we get, the more the crowd disperses because these shops are more for entertainment and restaurants. The joke shop is just ahead and we're nearly there, when I hear a voice call out behind me.

"Well well well, what do we have here? A couple of blood traitors and a half-breed out in the open." I turn around to see my former house mate Marcus Flint glaring at us. Pushing Teddy and Scorpious behind me, I glare back and say "Move along Flint. We're not looking for trouble."

"Not looking for trouble?" he mocks. "You were looking for trouble the day you turned your back on your own kind and sent them to Azkaban, including my father!" the last part is practically spat at me.

After all the trials, many of us Slytherins ignored the teaching of pureblood supremacy and embraced this new world the ministry was trying to create. The world was changing and purebloods are dying out anyway. If we didn't start mixing in with half bloods and muggleborns, we were going to have to resort to inbreeding, not that some of the more extreme families haven't already begun. Mine and Blaise's friendship with Potter, and the cases I took defending muggleborns paved the way for acceptance and many followed our example. However, there are still some like Marcus who will never accept anyone less than a pure, and continue in their bigoted ways. I did help send his father to Azkaban because he was too dangerous to remain in society. After Voldemort's downfall, Flint Sr. led an attack in the muggle world and nearly massacred an entire town. Since he was sentenced to life behind bars, Flint's had it out for me.

"Your father sealed his own fate. He would have been in Azkaban reguardless of if I'd been the one prosecuting or not" I say while discreetly reaching into my pocket for my wand.

Flints face contorts in rage and he snarls. Pulling out his own wand with great speed he points it directly at me and says, "Perhaps your son should learn what it's like to not have a father." I hear Scorp whimper behind me.

"Threatening me isn't going to solve anything. You're father will still be behind bars even if you try to kill me" I reply. My hand has wrapped around my wand and I begin to slowly pull it out.

Flint is still glaring at me and I know my words have only added to his anger. "You're right it won't, but I promised I would avenge my father. Since you took him from me, it's only fair I take your son from you." He casts a curse towards Scorpious, but I'm able to deflect it just in time.

Throwing up a shield, I scream over my shoulder "Teddy! Take Scorpious inside and tell Harry to get out here. Stay in the shop until I come to get you!"

Teddy grabs Scorp's hand and begins to pull him away, but Scorp jerks back and yells "NO DADDY!"

My shield has started to falter and will fall at any second, but I've got to get the boys to safety. "SCORPIOUS, DO AS I SAY! GO NOW!" I yell harshly. He looks taken aback and frightened, but follows Teddy and runs into the shop.

By now my shield has fallen and Marcus throws a hex that slices a gash from my forearm to my bicep. I fight through the pain and continue to duel him. My anger and rage are fueling me, and he can't dodge all of the curses and hexes I'm throwing his way. His lip is busted and there's a large cut just under his right eye. No one will ever try to harm Scorpious and get away with it.

I don't know how long we stand there dueling in the street, but soon there's a third dueler in the commotion and I glance to my right to see Harry. Flint can't keep up with the both of us and has already begun to slow down. Finally, Harry yells out "Expelliarmus!" at the same time I shout "Stupefy!" and Flint falls to the ground unconscious.

I pant harshly trying to catch my breath and turn to Potter. "Scorpious?" I ask raspily.

"He and Teddy are safe in the shop. I told Ginny to send for Blaise, he should be here soon." I take off for the shop and barge in through the door. I look around and don't see the boys. Ginny comes up to me and I ask, "Where are they?"

"They're in the back room with-" I quit listening when she says room and head to the back. I've never been back there before, but I hear voices talking and follow them down to a room at the end of the hall. I step into the doorway and freeze.

Scorp is clinging to a woman whose rubbing his back. He may be a smart mature kid, but he's a bit on the shy side and very wary of people he doesn't know. He seems to be at ease with this woman and asks her a question.

"Yes" she answers to whatever he asks and continues, "My name is Hermione, but you can call me Mione. What's your name?"

_Hermione…Hermione…..Granger!_ It immediately clicks. This was the friend Potter was talking about who had just returned. I haven't seen her since the battle at Hogwarts. I always wondered what happened to her and assumed she got with the Weasel. He and Potter had some huge fall out four or five years ago, but we've never really talked about it. I've seen him a few times in the papers and he's apparently flown off his rocker. He's constantly causing trouble and has succeeded in making as arse of himself in the public eye. They never talk about Granger though. It's like she completely disappeared from the face of the Earth.

"Scorpious" he replies, and I see her noticeably tense up. She's completely silent for a few seconds and Scorp starts to sniffle so I make a move to get him. She must have figured out he's my son, after all he looks just like me, and wants nothing to do with him.

To my surprise however, she pats his back and says, "Well it's a pleasure to meet you Scorpious. How old are you?"

"I'll be three on Friday, and I'm having a huge birfday party!" he says excitedly.

"That sounds like fun! You sure are a big boy" she tells him, tickling his belly and causing him to giggle. Scorp looks really happy in her arms and she cradles him close. I don't think any woman besides mother or Andromeda has ever held him like that, not even Astoria. Scorp looks over her shoulder and catches sight of me. "Daddy!" he cries out joyfully.

Without putting him down, Granger slowly turns her head and our eyes meet. Hers are brown, but have millions of little gold specs in them. They really are unique. How have I not noticed them before?

Scorpious struggles to get down and she is the first to break eye contact. She puts him down and he runs over to me. I scoop him up in my arms and hug him close. "Hey buddy, are you ok?" I ask as I check over him for injury. He nods then looks down at my arm. "Daddy you're bleeding!" he shrieks worriedly. Only then do I remember Flint's slicing spell and the gash. Potter comes in then, followed by Ginny and Blaise.

"Malfoy" he addresses me, "I cuffed Flint and Blaise transported him to a holding cell in the ministry. He'll be there until given a trial. I've got a few more aurors coming in to investigate. We'll need to take down your statement."

"The bloody arsehole tried to kill me and my son, that's my statement" I growl angrily.

"I know, but you know it's part of the protocol and I have to follow procedure" he says calmly. I nod my head and will my anger away. I genuinely try not to swear or yell in front of Scorpious, and he's been frightened enough for today.

"Draco mate, you're bleeding all over the place" Blaise points out. Damn, I keep forgetting about that stupid gash. Come to think of it, I'm starting to feel a little lightheaded.

Ginny takes Scorp from me and heads over to a corner where James and Teddy are playing. Potter looks at the cut and says, "I've never been particularly good at healing spells. Mione would you mind?" he asks looking over at her.

She hasn't moved from where she stood when I first saw her. She nods and motions for me to follow her to a chair at the back. As I sit down, she pulls out her wand and inspects the gash. "Hmm. Must have been a nasty spell" she murmurs, I think mostly to herself.

"Yeah" I respond as she begins to close the wound. While she's focused on her task, I take the opportunity to study her. Her hair is brown with honey colored highlights and falls in waves down her back. Her skin is lightly tanned and flawless. She has a cute button nose with a few freckles sprinkled across it. No longer thin as a rail as I recall her from the final battle, but she still has a small petite waist. She's wearing a tank top that shows of the top of her cleavage as she bends down to mutter anti-bacterial spells. She's got on tight little shorts that show off her arse and nicely toned legs. Granger had grown up and was hot as hell.

"There, all done" she says standing back up and offering me a warm smile. "You may want to stay sitting down for a few minutes to let the blood circulate."

"Sure, thanks" I say inspecting my arm. She healed it perfectly and thoroughly, much like everything she did in school. "And thank you for looking after Scorpious" I add meeting her eye.

"Of course, no problem" she says kindly. "He was really worried about you. The two of you must be very close."

I nod. "We are. He's a little shy around people he's never met. I'm surprised he took so well to you." She narrows her eyes a little at me and I realize that last part may have come across wrong; like I didn't think Scorp should have been comfortable around her. "I'm glad he did" I quickly amend, "It shows he has an excellent judge of character."

She blushes a little, but her smile returns. "He seems very smart for a three year old. And so very adorable."

Smirking at her, I reply "Already taken with him after only one meeting? That's a new record. My,my must be that Malfoy charm. What can I say, it's one of the many talents he gets from me."

She laughs at that and I find that I really enjoy the sound. Oh gods, is that sappy? "Hopefully he won't get your ego as well" she teases back. Inadvertently, she just admitted I have charm. Well, even if it was indirect, I'll certainly take her compliment.

"So how've you been Granger? Or is it Weasley now? Have you and Ron settled down?" I ask changing the subject. The thought of her being tied to Weasel King annoys me for some reason. Maybe it's due to the fact I always thought she was too good for him. Even though he'd been in the Wizarding World his whole life, she lapped circles around his magic all throughout our school years.

The smile falls from her face and she tenses up again. From the look on her face, I can tell I've offended her and a panic seeps into me. Before I can say anything though, Potter and another auror come up to me with the paperwork ready to take down my testimony against Flint. Granger turns away and hurries off towards Ginny.

As I retell the story over and over again to different aurors, I find myself looking up and watching Granger. She's playing with the boys and they seem to genuinely enjoy being around her, especially Scorp. She definitely has a way with kids. He talks and makes her laugh which in turn makes him pleased with himself. He follows her around and she allows him to 'help' her sell products or pack them up for customers. At one point, she sits down on a stool and Scorpious crawls up in her lap with a book of James' in hand. He's entranced as she reads the story to him.

Later when I finally finish up with the aurors, I try to approach her again but she's already left the shop for the day. I'm really disappointed I didn't get a chance to talk to her again. It's getting close to dinner time, and I decide to take the boys back. As I'm preparing to leave, Potter approaches me. "Long day, huh?" he asks.

"You can say that again" I reply bitterly.

"Listen Malfoy, I was hoping to have a welcome back party of some sort for Hermione, but she doesn't want anything big" Potter says. "She agreed to a small get together, so tomorrow we're all having lunch at my place. I've already talked to Blaise. Do you think you could get your mother and Andromeda to come?"

I consider his invitation for a moment. This isn't the first time we've all gotten together, but it's the first time with Granger there. I want to see her again and apologize not only for whatever I said today, but also for everything that happened in school. Hopefully if she saw how much I'd changed and got along with her friends, she'd give me a chance.

I nod and say, "Sure, we'll be there. See you tomorrow."

We use the fireplace at the shop to floo back to Malfoy Manor. Scorp and Teddy run off down the hall and I walk over to the bar area and grab a glass of firewhiskey. Knowing the boys, they're going to retell the story to mother and Andromeda, but greatly exaggerate the details. I need to calm my nerves before the questioning begins.

Sure enough when I join them in a sitting room, the boys have told the tale and the women are horrified. I tell the story for what feels like the hundredth time that day, and erase details that didn't happen. They question me for ten minutes straight, but I'm able to calm them down and reassure them that we're all fine.

"And guess what nana?" Scorp says excitedly. "I made a new friend today! Her name is Mione, and she's really pretty! She did puzzles and colored with me, and she even read me a story! James said she's his aunt and she's super nice!"

"By Mione, would he happen to mean Hermione? As in Hermione Granger?" Andromeda asks looking over at me. I nod.

"Yes, she was at the shop today. She took care of the boys while we handled the mess. Scorp seemed to be really taken with her. Potter's having a lunch for her tomorrow at his house and I told him we'd all be there." I say. They both agree and listen with rapt attention as Scorp continues to talk about Granger. We eat dinner there, and Andromeda says the project they reviewed didn't really have much promise and they didn't take it. Afterwards we say goodbye and I take Scorp home.

It's been an exhausting day and Scorpious goes down after his bath and a story without too much fuss, although he tells me I don't read the book like Granger does. He really likes her and will definitely be happy to see her tomorrow.

I lay in bed that night thinking about the day. It was strange to see her after all this time. Where has she been? Why hadn't Potter ever said anything about her? And was she back for good, or merely just visiting? I can't stop thinking about her and am really looking forward to seeing her tomorrow. I hope I'll be able to straighten things out. I finally drift off to sleep where I dream about Hermione Granger.

**AN: Yay another chapter completed! Now that they've met again, we can hopefully get the ball rolling!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing.**

**AN: Thanks again for the reviews! I'm glad you're all enjoying the story and love your thoughts about what's going to happen. I still have absolutely no idea where it's going, but I'm always open to plot ideas!**

**Hermione Pov:**

I step out of the fireplace, brushing soot from my purple sundress, and run a hand over my hair which I've pinned in an elegant side bun. Harry's sitting room hasn't changed much since the last time I was here. The only difference is the family photos covering the walls and James' toys scattered around.

I can hear lively chatter and smell delicious food cooking, so I head down the hallway and am greeted by the sight of a full kitchen. Molly, Fleur, and Ginny are slaving away over the stove and counter preparing enough food to feed an army. Harry, Bill, and Arthur are sitting at the small table swapping stories. George is crouched down on the floor entertaining James, Victoire, and Dominique with one of his new products that blows color changing smoke and whistles. James and Victoire sit in awe as he explains it, and little eighteen month old Dominique tries to catch the smoke.

"Knock knock" I say rapping my knuckles on the entryway to alert them to my presence. Everyone looks up and various voices shout out "Hermione" or "Mione" with big smiles. I've missed them so much.

Arthur, being the closest, greets me first and envelops me in his warm embrace. "So good to see you Hermione. It's been much too long." I hug all the men and pat the children on the head before making my way to the women. Ginny gives me a one armed hug, as she's got a knife she's been using to chop up vegetables in the other. Fleur greets me with a kiss on each cheek as is the customary greeting in France, and a "Good to 'ave you 'ere, 'Ermione." Lastly, I come to Molly who hugs me so fiercely I can scarcely breathe. She pulls back and looks at me, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Oh, Hermione dear, welcome home! We've all missed you so much and I just want you to know you'll _always _be family, no matter what."

Judging by the look on her face, I can tell she knows my four year absence had to do with Ron. I couldn't bring myself to tell her and Arthur about the abuse from him and made Harry and Ginny swear to secrecy as well. But they, and the rest of the Wizarding World, had seen the papers the day I left him. His family knew Ron was out of control even before all of that came to light. Harry also informed me on one of his visits that Ron was continually getting into some kind of trouble and had turned his back on his family when they remained close to Harry even after he and Ron parted ways. I hated that for the Weasleys and never wanted to cause anymore pain than they already had. Ginny however, told me that Ron drove the wedge between himself and his family when he let the fame get to his head and became a drunk heartless bastard.

I give her another hug and say, "Thank you Molly. You have no idea how much that means to me." She smiles and turns her attention back to the stove. We hear a loud boom and see the men chuckling at the children. George's new product has turned from smoke to goo and spattered the three from head to toe. Victoire is covered in pink slime, James in green, and Dominique in purple. Sweet little Dominique, who hates getting dirty, begins to cry and Fleur picks her up while scolding George in French. She takes the kids upstairs to clean them up and Bill follows to help. I take over her spot in the kitchen next to Ginny, and begin stirring some kind of pudding.

"At least we're not the guinea pigs anymore" I joke remembering the times when Fred and George tested their products on us.

Ginny laughs and says, "Don't you know? That's the whole reason Harry and I decided to have kids."

Looking at all the food we're preparing, I sigh and say "I'm glad I'm getting to see everyone, but honestly, there's enough food here to end world hunger! We'll never get through all this."

"You know how mum gets" Ginny replies while putting together a salad. "And not everyone is here yet. We're still waiting on Blaise, Andromeda, Teddy, and the Malfoys."

I pause what I'm doing and glance at Ginny. "The Malfoys are coming?" My voice has gone up a few octaves, giving away my nervousness.

"Yes" she responds, then turns her body to face me completely. "Hermione, listen to me. I know Malfoy was the biggest prat in school and his family wasn't the nicest to you, or any of us in the past. But he and his mother have really changed, as have many former Slytherins. He's worked hard to better our community and has put more death eaters away than anyone else, including Harry. His mother donates hefty sums to charities and opens the manor up to all sorts of ministry functions. Not to mention the fact that she and Draco are doing a marvelous job of raising Scorpious. He's one of the sweetest kids I know and I'm glad James has a friend like him. They really are different now and if you give them a chance, you'll see" she finishes.

She'd mistaken my nervous tone to mean that I still thought of Malfoy as the arrogant little school boy. I knew he had changed. Last night after I came back to my parent's house, I sent an owl off to various papers asking for stories on the Malfoys. To say I was shocked to learn all the good things they'd done since the war would be an understatement. I couldn't believe it! There was even a picture in one paper of Harry, Malfoy, and Blaise Zabini in a pub with the headline, "**The New 'Golden Trio?'" **(My going to France was kept a secret by Harry and Kingsley at my request in case Ron ever tried to come looking for me.) Malfoy was probably the best lawyer the ministry had and was predicted to take over the entire law department very soon. He was determined, hard working, and very good looking as well, no longer the thin lanky boy from school. Witch Weekly even named him second most eligible bachelor, coming only behind Zabini, though I do wonder if it's because he has a child and Zabini doesn't.

The reason I'm nervous about seeing him again is because of my reaction to his question yesterday about whether or not I'd married Ron. After moving in with him and being confined to that apartment, people began to wonder where I was. Once Harry and Ron had their huge blowout ending their friendship, rumors began to fly. Papers made their own speculations, and Rita Skeeter wrote a particularly nasty piece saying I'd betrayed Harry and run off with Ron believing him to be more famous. She'd dubbed me a gold digging skank, and I'm sure anyone who read her article believed the worst of me. Harry denied these accusations as best he could, but by not being able to say where I was and people noticing we were never together, there wasn't much he could do. I'd already left for France by then.

When Malfoy asked that, all these memories flew back to me and I completely froze up. My first thought was that he assumed the rumors to be true and was trying to get me to confirm it so he could judge me. I realized after I left and after reading about him that he probably didn't mean anything by it, and was only curious. I mean I haven't been around and everyone knew Ron and I began a relationship after Hogwarts, but very few knew about our breakup. And if I told Malfoy about it, he might ask why and I'm not ready to share that story with anyone.

Noticing that Ginny is still waiting for an answer, I nod and say "Of course, everyone deserves a second chance. And since they're now a huge part of your lives, I'm sure I'll be seeing a lot of them."

She smiles looking a little relieved. "You always did have a forgiving heart. Yes, they are a big part of our lives now, as well as Blaise."

"Talking about me Weaslette? Only good things I hope." We both turn to see Blaise Zabini approaching us with a bottle of very expensive looking champagne in hand. Ginny rolls her eyes and scoffs. "I was just telling Hermione how I wasn't sure if you'd fit through the fire place with an ego the size of yours. And when are you going to stop calling me Weaslette? I'm a Potter now" she says taking the champagne from him and setting it down on a nearby counter.

"Old habbits die hard" he replies good naturedly. Turning to me he takes my hand, kisses my knuckles, and says "Granger, it's lovely to see you. I apologize for not greeting you properly at the shop yesterday, but I was occupied with other matters as you know."

"Not a problem" I return. "It's wonderful to see you too Zabini, I'm glad you could make it."

He flashes a very alluring grin at me that I'm sure won him the title of 'Most Eligible Bachelor.' "Please, call me Blaise. And I would never pass up an opportunity to dine with such a beautiful lady."

Ginny snorts very unladylike and says, "Oh please, cut the charms Casanova. Your reputation precedes you even all the way from France."

"So that's where you've been all this time. Interesting" he says leisurely looking over me. Yes I knew all about Blaise Zabini and his trail of broken hearts. We could be friends, but I was going to have to make it clear that we would never cross a line more than that. I don't do one night stands. When his eyes come back to my face, he continues "Don't listen to anything the she devil says. She's jealous she doesn't get to come home to my amazing body and natural good looks."

"See, what'd I tell you Hermione? Biggest ego I've ever seen" Ginny laughs and continues her playful banter with Blaise. It reminds me of a similar conversation I'd had yesterday with another Slytherin.

Before Blaise can reply to her cracks, we hear James run down the hallway and shout, "Scorpious and Teddy are here!" The two boys come into the kitchen followed by Andromeda, then Narcissa and Draco Malfoy. Narcissa looks elegant and beautiful as always with satin midnight blue robes that I'm sure cost a fortune. Her hair is pinned neatly in a bun at the top of her head, and her wrists and fingers are adorned in jewels. She seems a little out of place compared to the rest of us. Even Malfoy is dressed in casual cargo shorts and a soft grey polo.

"Just in time too. Lunch is ready" Molly informs us. With a flick of her wand, the food is moved from the kitchen to the dining room table and we all seat ourselves around it. George sits on one side of me and Blaise moves to sit on the other, but as he pulls the chair back Scorpious clambers up into it instead. "I want to sit by Mione Uncle Blaise, you go sit somewhere else" Scorpious tells him haughtily. Everyone laughs and Blaise moves down the table towards Bill after throwing a "brat" at the young boy. Narcissa raises an eyebrow, clearly as shocked by her grandson's forwardness as I am, but he asks me to help him pile food on his plate, bringing my attention back to him.

Ginny and Harry are sitting directly across from me followed by Malfoy and his mother. I engage in conversation with them and George, as well as Scorpious who tells me animated stories about him and James. My godson is sitting on the other side of him, and they talk over each other excitedly trying to fill me in on what's been going on in their lives. It practically melts my heart. Halfway through lunch, I can feel Malfoy's eyes on me but I'm too shy to meet his gaze. I know at some point I'll have to speak to him, especially with his son being around me so much.

Once we all finish, the younger kids are put down for a nap, although James and Scorpious put up quite a fight. It takes both of their fathers giving them stern looks before they finally comply. The adults move to the sitting room with Teddy and Victoire joining us, seeing as they're too old for naps. Teddy entertains her by changing his hair any color she asks.

Fleur and I are discussing the French economy compared to Britain's. She is actually a very smart young woman and could do wonders in the business world, but she says someone has to stay home with the girls and teach them before they go off to Hogwarts. Many women cannot go out and work because of this and I wish there was something I could do to promote women working. I think if Molly could have worked outside of the home, her family wouldn't have struggled as much as they did. A few minutes after everyone has been chatting, Harry stands up and catches our attention.

"It's great that you're all here. Although we're very glad Hermione's back for good" he says looking over at me and smiling, "We also have another reason we wanted you all over today." Ginny stands to join Harry and takes his hand. They share a loving look before Harry turns to the rest of the room and says, "We're going to have another baby!"

"Oh, how wonderful!" Molly exclaims coming over to hug Ginny and Arthur claps Harry on the back. While we all give the couple our congratulations, Blaise disappears from the room and comes back with his bottle of champagne. "Now this calls for a celebration" he says pouring glasses and handing them out to all except Ginny. The women all gather around Ginny and ask how far along she is, what she'll do about work, and if they've picked out names. She answers that she's six weeks along, she'll stop playing as chaser but manage the team instead, and they haven't decided yet.

An hour later, Scorpious and James come down. They've caught a second wind and can hardly sit still, so we all migrate outside and the men minus Arthur begin a game of quidditch. The women settle in chairs on the back deck, and I find a bench a little ways away under the shade of a tall oak tree. Bill, George, and Blaise make up one team while Harry and Malfoy make up the other. Teddy, James, and Scorpious are on Harry's side, but their miniature brooms only fly a few feet off the ground.

I can't help but focus my attention on Malfoy. It's so strange to see him laughing and letting loose as well as being friendly with Harry. Looking at him now, you'd never think they once hated each other and you'd never believe he was once a death eater, although that decision was forced on him. He looks really good. He's got broad wide set shoulders and every time he leans over on his broom, his muscles flex. His platinum hair shines in the sun and his mercurial eyes dart around in search of the snitch. Every once in a while, he'll turn his intense gaze on me. It's the same way he stared at me at lunch and in the sitting room, and how he looked at me yesterday while talking to the aurors even though he thought I didn't notice. Why is he looking at me that way? I know I'm not very pretty, but is he scrutinizing me?

So wrapped up am I in my thoughts, I almost don't notice another figure sit down beside me. I look over and am shocked to see Narcissa sitting right next to me. "Miss Granger, I hope you don't mind me joining you?" she asks politely.

"Not at all Mrs. Malfoy."

"Please, call me Narcissa. May I call you Hermione?" I nod and she continues, "I wanted to thank you for yesterday at the joke shop. Teddy and Scorpious told me about the incident and how you took care of them and healed Draco."

"You don't have to thank me, I was glad I could help" I reply. I've never had a conversation with her before, but she's not at all stuck up and snooty as I'd presumed. She seems very pleasant.

"My grandson sure has taken a liking to you. He doesn't do that with very many people. You must have really left an impression on him" she says with a smile. I offer one of my own and we look up just in time to see Malfoy throw the quaffle to Scorpious, who scores a point for their team. Bill 'accidentally' moves to the side to make it easier for him.

Scorpious looks excitedly over at Narcissa and I and exclaims, "Nana, nana! Did you see? Mione, did you see? I scored!" I'm surprised he keeps addressing me. For all their talk about how he's a shy kid, he's sure been very open around me. "Way to go!" I call out and Narcissa claps for him.

"He reminds me so much of Draco as a boy" she comments.

"He's a wonderful child and very intelligent" I tell her. She nods. "Yes, sometimes it's hard to believe he'll only be three. Other times it feels like he should be a lot older." We watch the game for a minute more before Narcissa turns to me and says, "So Hermione, how did you enjoy Paris?"

I look at her in shock. "H…how did you know I was in Paris?"

Narcissa gives me a confused look. "We own a villa in France. I quite love shopping there and often stay for a few weeks at a time. You were in their papers quite often with all of your achievements and work for their ministry, and I read a few articles. Is something wrong?"

Of course the Malfoys owned property in France. They probably owned a villa in nearly every country. And I didn't even think about how often I was in the French papers. "No, not at all" I respond quickly. "It's just that very few people knew I was there. Even the Daily Prophet was clueless. I was just a little surprised is all."

Narcissa relaxes and says, "Well even if they did know and wrote an article, I wouldn't have known from them. We don't read that paper much you see." I remember from reading the articles last night, the Daily Prophet practically tore the Malfoys to shreds. They, mainly Skeeter, believed they got off too easily after the war and trashed their name as best they could. Seems we had that in common.

We discuss shops and fashion trends there and I learn that she designed a brand of clothes for one of the boutiques I loved to shop at when I lived there. We have a lot in common surprisingly and I really enjoy conversing with her. A little while later, Scorp zooms right up to us and jumps off his broom. "Look nana, look! Daddy caught the snitch and gave it to me!" he says showing her the tiny golden sphere.

"How wonderful" she praises him. He comes over and stands directly in front of me then. "Did you see me Mione? My team beat Uncle Blaise's and I scored five times!"

"You did so good, Scorpious" I say patting his back. He beams proudly and James joins us looking just as happy.

"Aunt Mione, I'm thirsty" he says with Scorpious throwing in a "Me too."

"Well, I think Grandma Molly made some lemonade. How about we go inside and get some?" I ask standing up. The boys nod and rush to the house with me following. I pour the three of us a glass, and we sit at the small table in the kitchen enjoying our refreshing beverage. The boys continue to talk about the game, but somehow the conversation turns from quidditch to animals in a few minutes.

"What's your favorite animal, Aunt Mione?" James asks me.

"Hmm…well, I guess mine is a lion" I answer him. He nods and says, "Yeah, that's a good animal."

"What's yours, Scorpious?" I ask turning to him. He thinks about it for a second then with a huge grin says, "Dragons!" I nod and James pipes up, "I like dragons too!"

"I love dragons. I wish I could have one for my birfday" Scorpious says wistfully with a dreamy look on his face.

"A dragon wouldn't fit in our house Scorp" says a deep voice from behind us. I jump a little and turn around to see Malfoy watching us from the doorway in amusement. How does he keep sneaking up on me like that? He says something to his son about returning the snitch to the kit while I take our glasses to the sink. I quickly rinse them out, and turn around to see Malfoy standing a few feet behind me. We're the only two in the kitchen now, and my heart is pounding.

"Hi" he says looking a little uncomfortable.

"Hi" I say back. There's an awkward silence that follows after that. I try to think of something to say, but Malfoy beats me to it.

"Listen Granger, I haven't seen you in years so I never got the chance to apologize for the way I treated you in school" he begins.

I wasn't expecting that. If there was any doubt in my mind that he'd changed, his apology just squashed it. "Don't worry about it Malfoy, we were kids" I say with a small smile.

"It's still no excuse. I just want you to know I don't think that way anymore. And I definitely don't raise Scorp to believe in those ideals" he continues. "Also, yesterday in the shop, I'm sorry if I off-"

"No, you didn't" I say cutting him off. "I apologize for my reaction. You didn't know. Ron and I dated for a little while after the war, but broke up. It, uh…didn't end on very good terms…completely destroyed our friendship…I haven't seen him in years." I don't know why I told him all that, but I couldn't seem to stop myself. Oh gods, he must think I'm the strangest person in the world right now.

He nods then says something that completely catches me off guard. "His loss. I always thought you were too good for him anyway." Did he just compliment me? I blush but manage a smile, which he returns. Then he clears his throat and says, "So, Blaise told me you've been in Paris all this time. How was it?"

"Great" I say finding my voice. "I loved working with their ministry. And Paris was absolutely beautiful."

"Yeah, I know. I haven't been there in a while, but I used to go every summer with mother when I was a kid" he tells me. "So, you're back for good?"

I nod. "Yes, I'll be starting tomorrow. I work in the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Maybe I'll see you around?"

He flashes a roguish grin at me that makes my heart flutter. "Definitely. I'll be looking forward to it."

"Daddy!" Scorpious shouts as he barrels over to his father. "George said to ask you if I could have a weasel for a pet because you love weasels almost as much as you love ferrets!" he exclaims.

I bite my lip to avoid laughing out loud and glance at Malfoy. He's got a scowl on his face and his left eye twitches. He mutters something under his breath that sounds like "…kill that one-eared weasel…" but I'm not sure. He sees my questioning gaze and says, "Scorp's been wanting a pet for a while, but I don't think he's ready yet. And it doesn't help with Potter and the others making stupid suggestions" he grumbles the last part and I laugh.

"Mione, you should come to my party!" Scorp suddenly says. "It's on Friday at my nana's big house, and it's a swim party so you have to bring your bathing suit. Please?" he's got the most adorable puppy dog eyes as they look up at me filled with hope.

"You really should come Granger. Blaise and the Potters will be there as well as Bill, Fleur, and their kids." Malfoy adds. I've been back in England for one weekend, and already I've been invited to a Malfoy party, albeit a three year old's birthday party. This seems surreal, as I never thought I'd see the Malfoys again, but I'm glad I did. After all, I came back to have a fresh starts and erase the bad memories.

I smile and nod. "Sure, sounds like fun. I'll be there."

**AN: I'm not really sure how I felt about this chapter, but it cleared the air between Hermione and Narcissa. Next chapter's the birthday party! Also, I know I've been able to update everyday, but don't get used to that. I've got papers to write and exams to study for, plus I've got to plan out what happens next. As always, hope you enjoyed!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing.**

**Draco Pov:  
** The party only started five minutes ago, but the kids waste no time jumping in the pool. Probably because they know their swimming days are limited. The heat wave we've been experiencing is drawing to a close and by next week, temperatures are predicted to drop considerably. It's strange it lasted all the way into September, but we took advantage of it so Scorp could have a blow out birthday bash. Sure, it might be a little much for a three year old, but us Malfoys are known for our extravagant parties.

Scorp, James, and Teddy are splashing around playing some dunking game., while us adults keep a close eye on them. Potter, Blaise, and I are sitting around a table enjoying a butterbeer because mother locked up the stronger alcohol calling it, 'unfitting for a child's party.' It's not like they'll be drinking any of it, but I know better than to argue with her once she gets into planning mode. This entire week, she's gone to great lengths to 'child proof' the manor. She's hosted many parties here for different functions, but this is the first children's party she's ever planned since I was never allowed to have one as a child. She hired bloody caterers and a decorator even though the kids couldn't care less about whether or not the napkins match the table cloths.

Pansy and Theodore Nott arrive with their daughter Thea, and Goyle comes after them a few minutes later with his wife Millicent and their son Vince. Their boy is not too bright and incredibly clumsy, taking after his father and his namesake, Vincent Crabbe. Goyle was another Slytherin that barely escaped Azkaban. He was able to drop his ideals and accept equality fairly well, but then again he's always been a follower. Anything Blaise and I do, he supports willingly. Nott was also able to adapt to the changes in the Wizarding World easily, especially since his father was sentenced to life in Azkaban and the dementor's kiss. Nott Sr. was a foul, evil man and one of the death eaters proven to have been born from a love potion. Like Lucius, he terrorized and controlled Theo as a child. He too set up a marriage contract for his son in sixth year to ensure his bloodline remained pure. Thankfully, Theo and Pansy were already good friends and eventually grew to love each other so it worked out. He now works as an obliviator for the ministry.

The kids run off to the pool and the adults greet each other. Nott and Goyle pull up a chair and grab a beer with us, while Pansy and Millicent join Ginny and the others a little ways away. Pansy and Ginny butt heads a lot, although they have truly struck up some sort of friendship. I think it's just because they have such bold personalities and they clash. It's not nearly as bad as it was in school, but the Potters definitely won't be naming Pansy godmother of their unborn child. She won't admit it, but Ginny still hasn't completely gotten over Pansy trying to offer up Potter to Voldemort. Pansy's genuinely trying to make up for past mistakes though. Nott entertains us with a story about some of the strangest things he has to obliviate muggles for while we wait for others to show up. The only kids missing are Victoire and Dominique Weasley, but I'm anticipating the arrival of a certain brunette witch.

I didn't see Granger again until Flint's trial on Wednesday, but the whole ministry had been buzzing about her return since that Monday. A reporter had seen her walking into Diagon Alley the day Flint attacked me, and snapped some pictures without her knowing. She was on the front of several newspapers with headlines such as, **"Golden Girl is Back!"** or **"War Heroine Returns Home After Years of Missing." **Everyone wanted to see and talk to her and an actual crowd formed outside her department. Kingsley eventually had to block it off with a barrier spell that only allowed those working in that department to enter. The day of the trial, she was brought on as one of the witnesses seeing as she healed me. Flint was convicted easily and given fifteen years, though I think he got off to easily.

Our jobs didn't allow us to cross paths much which disappointed me. Seeing as we'd been given the day off for the trial, after hearing the verdict we all went to lunch to celebrate and I made sure to sit beside her. We laughed and joked as though we were old friends. I debated with her on some older Wizarding Laws, and she challenged my ideas. She was an intellectual equal and I loved watching her get so passionate about something she believed in. None of my friends or co-workers could keep up with me in an argument like she could. Eventually our conversation turned to Scorpious, and she asked about his interests and what he wanted for his birthday. She seems just as taken with him as he was with her. The little tyke bothered me nonstop about when he could see Granger again and if I'd seen her at work. Lunch ended much too quickly, to my displeasure, and I haven't talked to her since.

After only working at the ministry one day, she managed to attract some attention. Her wardrobe has definitely improved since our school days, and her clothes show off all the perks on her gorgeous body. With her form fitting blouses and pencil skirts that hugged her in all the right places, she pulled off a professional as well as sexy look. Not many women worked at the ministry, and those that did were either older or slutty secretaries that would screw anyone at anytime. I knew, because I'd had most of them between cases or on a slow work day. A bet went around on Tuesday to see who could get into Granger's knickers first, and I became increasingly jealous. Either she caught wind of it, or simply wasn't interested in anyone who tried to seduce her because she opted for eating in her office rather than at the cafeteria, and threw herself into work. Anytime she wasn't in her office or a meeting, she was close to Potter who heard about the bet and threatened anyone who even looked at her in an inappropriate way. I backed him up a hundred percent much to the other's shock.

As Nott finishes up his story, the back doors open, and Dory leads Bill, Fleur, and their kids out with Granger bringing up the rear. Immediately, my gaze is solely focused on her. Her hair falls in loose waves again but is pulled back in the front by a clip. She's got on a brown strapless cover-up and I can see the string of what I think is a bright red bikini. She looks so _fucking_ hot. I get a mental picture of having her splayed out on my bed as I rip her swimsuit off with my teeth and begin to feel the stirrings of a very prominent errection_. Oh no, no, no! Not here! Think of something else, anything else! Dumbledore…Mcgonagall…Hagrid! _A quick flash of his ugly mug completely stops the flow of blood to my southern regions.

She smiles and waves at us as she passes to put her present on the table where the others are, and goes to join the women. Mother embraces her, which she seems a little surprised by but returns the gesture, and introduces her to Pansy and Millicent. They nod at each other and I can see it's a little awkward, but Ginny and mother help ease them into a conversation and they all visibly relax.

"Holy hell, was that _Granger_?!" Nott asks in disbelief. His eyebrows shoot up so far they practically disappear into his hairline. Goyle is staring after her with his mouth hanging open so far, I'm sure we could fit a small child in it. Potter chuckles at their reactions and Blaise lets out a low whistle. "Wow, she's changed! What happened to the stick thin walking textbook from Hogwarts" Nott says still staring at her back.

"Obviously she grew up. Very well I might add…" Blaise trails off as he gives her a once over. I fight the urge to smack him upside the head. He may have been my best mate since we were in diapers, but I'll be damned if he tries to charm his way into her pants. Oh hell, I'm losing my mind. What is with this sudden possessive streak over Granger? I've only had a few conversations with her since her return and already I want to claw the eyes out of anyone who looks at her.

"Blaise….don't even think about it. If I catch you even _looking _seductively at her, I'll reassign you to paperwork duty" Potter says warningly. Glad to see he's on the same page with me.

"Oh, come on boss I'm just having a little fun! I don't mean anything by it" he chuckles. "Besides, I think Draco's got his eye on her" he adds with a wink in my direction.

I splutter and choke on the butterbeer I'd just drank. Merlin, what is he saying? I don't like her like that! Sure I think she's hot…beautiful really…and I love that I can hold an intelligent conversation with her…plus there's something about her that just draws people in, and they can't help but to immediately like her…not to mention the fact that Scorpious has been talking nonstop about her since he met her…and I became quite jealous every time I saw a man talk to her this week…but that doesn't mean anything! Right?

"What the bloody hell are you on about Blaise?" I say once my coughing has subsided.

He throws his head back and laughs for a minute. "Oh come on Draco, we've been friends all our lives! Do you really think I don't notice when a girl tickles your fancy? You've been eyeing her since that day at the joke shop and don't think I didn't notice you subtly grab the seat by her when we all went to lunch Wednesday. You two were so wrapped up in each other, you didn't even notice the rest of us! And you looked ready to kill any bloke who approached her this week. She's even got Scorp chasing after her! At least he's man enough to pursue her" he says jerking a finger in her direction. We all follow his finger to see Scorp has actually gotten out of the pool and attacked Granger's legs in a fierce hug. She bends down so that she's eye level with him and they engage in a conversation.

"Never thought I'd see the day…Draco Malfoy, playboy extraordinaire has a crush!" Nott says in mock astonishment. My face heats up in embarrassment and everyone around the table laughs.

"I do _not _have a crush on Granger! I just like the way she is around Scorp. And I respect her. Nothing more than that" I say trying to convince myself as much as the others. Blaise just rolls his eyes, but Potter seems to be deep in thought. Nott waves my explanation away with an arrogant flip of his hand. "Whatever mate. If it helps, you've got great taste. She is one hot bird." Goyle and Blaise nod in agreement.

Thankfully I'm saved from the conversation because mother has decided it's time for cake and presents. The caterers bring over a huge chocolate cake with a fire breathing dragon on top of it, and three candles burning. Scorp concentrates for a second, closes his eyes to make his wish, and blows out the candles in one breath. While the cake is being cut and passed out, I move from behind him over to stand beside Granger. She looks up and gives me a smile. "Hey."

"Hey" I say back. "Enjoying the party so far? I do hope you weren't uncomfortable around Pansy and Millicent?"

She shakes her head. "Not at all. They seem very nice. And yes the party is quite lovely. It's definitely…erm…lavish" she says a bit warily.

I chuckle at her choice of words. "Yes, it's a bit much for a birthday party, but mother goes a little overboard when planning any type of event. As you know, us Malfoys like to go all out."

"Of course, that's the only way to do a party, right?" she teases.

"You catch on fast Granger" I tease back.

Blaise wolf whistles and Nott tries to stifle his laughter. I glare at them and make a mental note to hex them later, but now Scorp has moved on to opening his presents.

He opens the gift from the Potters first who have gotten him his very own quidditch kit with his name etched into the shiny wooden top. He's finally at the age now where I can begin practicing with him and shape him up for the Slytherin quidditch team. He'll be a legend, I just know it. As though agreeing with me, Blaise's present is a set of Slytherin quidditch robes and dragon hide gloves. The Nott's give him a potions beginners kit, and the Goyles some magical animal figurines. Teddy and Andromeda give him a quidditch jersey signed by all the members of the Falmouth Falcons as well as season pass tickets to all their games. The Weasley's include their gift of a storybook about dragons, as well as a sweater knitted by Molly for the upcoming cooler weather, and a stuffed ferret they say was from George. The next time I see him, he's going to pay.

Finally there's only one gift left and it's from Granger. I'm very curious to see what it is. It's a tall box shape, but there are holes poked in the top and its covered in dragon wrapping paper. Scorp eagerly tears it open and gasps. It's a tall cage with a ball of what looks like green fluff inside it. Scorpious pokes a finger through to touch it, and it moves. Looking closer, I can see that it's breathing.

Seeing my furrowed brows, Granger says "It's a pygmy puff. I know you said you didn't think he was ready for a pet, but this is a special breed. They only have to be fed once a week and they love to cuddle. They don't require a lot of care or attention, so I thought it would be a good gift and something to hold him over until you feel he's ready for a real pet."

Her gift is actually genius. It's a perfect compromise between me and Scorp. I won't be the one who'll have to look after it, and Scorp can get some practice in until we decide to upgrade. Why hadn't I thought of this?

Scorp seems to be in love with it as he takes it out of the cage and it flies over to settle on his shoulder. The little girls are taken with it with murmurs of "ooh" and "aah" and the boys are just as fascinated. "Thank you Mione!" Scorp shouts over to her as he pets it. It nuzzles his finger for a second with its small pink tongue, and then zooms away in the air. All the children abandon their cake and chase after it while the adults chuckle at them.

A couple hours later the party has wound down as the kids have started to tire out. They spent equal amount of time between the pool and chasing after Scorp's new pet which he's named Tobias after Ginny told him they were considering it as a name for their unborn child. The Nott's, Goyle's, and Weasley's take their children home after wishing Scorp a happy birthday one last time. Ginny and Granger are helping Andromeda gather up Scorp's gifts and move them into the manor.

I watch Teddy and Scorpious run after Tobias for a minute and mother comes to stand beside me. "You know, that really was a very thoughtful gift from Hermione. It was one of the things Scorpious truly wanted for his birthday" she says.

"Yeah, it's perfect for him and doesn't come with the hassle of an actual animal." I reply.

She nods, then turns to me with a smile on her face. "So Draco, Hermione is a very lovely girl. And extremely pretty, don't you think?" I groan. I've seen that look on her face many times. It's a look she gives me when she introduces me to one of her friend's daughters or 'happens' to bump into young acquaintances when she forces me to come shopping with her. She's tried to play matchmaker for me ever since I got rid of Astoria.

"No need to gripe Draco, I was simply making a statement" she laughs, though I can still see a mischievous glint in her eye. "I think I'm going to put Scorpious down for a nap. Be a dear and help the girls with the gifts, would you?" With that, she heads in my son's direction and I make my way over to them like she asked. I pass Potter, whose holding a sleeping James and talking to Blaise. I'll probably share a drink with them in the study later.

I come inside where they've moved the presents to a small table in one of the foyers, and Ginny tells Granger she needs to run off to the loo. I come up beside her and she jumps a little, startled by my presence. "Would you like me to help take these up to Scorpious' room? You'll have to lead the way" she says.

"We don't live here in the Manor. I own my own home in Wizarding London. I'll just have Dory take them over while Scorp takes his nap" I tell her. "Since you're here, could I interest you in a tour?"

She hesitates for a second, before she nods. I offer my arm like a gentlemen and she giggles before taking it. I start at the first floor and show her the four different sitting rooms, the sun room, the kitchens, and dining room. We then make our way upstairs where I show her the two different studies and the library. She stares in awe at it and I think if her hand wasn't in the crook of my arm, I would have left her behind. While we walk, I rattle out different facts about the Manor such as its architecture, how long it's been in our family, and how different rooms were modeled after different eras. She listens with rapt attention.

Eventually, I lead her into the study I mostly use and pour myself a glass of fire whiskey and her a glass of red wine. "It's very beautiful and decorated so well. It looks a lot different than the way I remember last time I was here…" she trails off as she touches the scar on her arm. My eyes widen as I understand what she means. The last time she was here, my crazy aunt tortured her mercilessly and carved into her skin like a Halloween pumpkin. I'm so stupid! I didn't even think about how being here might affect her.

She must have caught on to my thoughts because she looks at me and says, "Oh I'm sorry! I didn't mean to worry you, it doesn't bother me anymore! I got over it a long time ago. It's in the past." She rambles, trying to calm my nerves.

"Don't be sorry, I should have thought about your last experience before dragging you on a tour" I say. "After…_that _incident, mother decided this place needed cleaning up. She completely redecorated and made it livelier. She changes up the rooms about twice a year."

"She's done a marvelous job" she says looking around the room again and taking a sip of her wine. She sets it down on the bar, and turns to me. "Malfoy?"

"You know, since you're on a first name basis with my son and mother, I think it's only fair we're on one as well _Hermione_" I say with a smirk. Her first name coming off my tongue is a bit odd, but I like it. Hopefully he won't think this too forward of me.

"Very well _Draco_" she says putting emphasis on my name as I did hers. "May I ask you a personal question?" I'm curious to know what she's going to ask, so I nod. "Today at the party…I just noticed…well I was wondering…"

"Wondering why Scorp's mother wasn't there?" I offer. She may not have been able to get the words out, but the question was written all over her face. She always did have a curious nature. Her face is a little red with embarrassment. "If it's too forward, you don't have to answer" she starts to say.

I wave off her concern and take another sip of my drink. "It's fine, I figured we would have this conversation sooner or later." I down the rest of my drink and set the glass next to hers on the bar.

"I was forced into a marriage contract my father set up for me with Astoria Greengrass two years after the war. If you remember Daphne Greengrass from our year, it's her little sister. We couldn't stand each other, but had to produce an heir. My father's way of keeping our line pure you see" she nods and I continue. "She didn't want to be a mother and neglected him from the moment he was born. I think I can count on one hand the number of times she actually held him. When I found a way to revoke the contract and divorce her, she gave up all rights to Scorpious for a large amount of galleons. She packed her bags and left without looking back. We haven't seen her since, and Scorpious will never know her."

Hermione has a look of absolute horror on her face. "I…I just…can't believe someone would just give up their child so easily…especially one as wonderful as him…"

I shrug my shoulders. "It's actually a good thing she did. She didn't love him, she only loved herself. She would have caused him nothing but pain anyway. It's better this way."

She comes over to stand in front of me and looks into my eyes. "He deserves a lot better than what she offered. You're doing an amazing job with him Draco. Truly." She brushes her fingertips against my arm and I feel electric tingles shoot up it. She looks down where she's touching me and notices that this is the arm with the dark mark on it. I tense up a little, but she slowly drags her fingertips up to it tracing the outline. I bring my fingers to her scar and finger the horrible word etched into her beautiful skin.

"We both have battle scars Hermione" I murmur bringing my fingertips from her scarred arm to her jaw and lightly rubbing it. She brings her eyes back to mine and I see many emotions flicker across them. Fear, confusion, hesitance, but also curiosity and hidden lust. I'm sure mine display the same. The air between us is charged with electricity and passion and I want nothing more than to wrap my arms around her and pull her close. I use my fingers to tilt her chin up a little more, and begin to lower my head to hers. She closes her eyes, parts her lips, and I'm so close I can smell her intoxicating vanilla scent and the wine she drank on her breath. I'm almost there…

"Draco! Where've you run off to? Since all the tykes are gone we can break out the real drinks now!" Blaise shouts from somewhere just down the hall. Hermione and I jump apart, and she runs a hand through her hair and smooths out her dress while I try to calm my racing heartbeat. _Damn you Blaise! You stupid horny motherfucker!_ I think to myself angrily. He had the absolute worst timing. He appears in the study seconds later. "Oh, there you are. Thought you'd keep all the fire whiskey for yourself, eh? Oh, here you are Granger. Guys! I found her and Draco, they're in the study" he calls out and Ginny and Potter come in after him.

Hermione moves over to a sofa where Ginny joins her and they talk, while Blaise, Potter, and I enjoy a bottle of Ogden's finest. If they had waited just a few more seconds, I would have gotten to kiss Granger. I can't help but wonder what her soft pink lips would feel like against mine. Well now I know, I definitely have a thing for her. I guess it is a crush. Damn Blaise and Theo for being right. And damn Blaise to the fiery pits of hell for his horrible, horrible timing!

**AN: Ah! They almost kissed! I'm trying not to put them in a relationship too fast, but I couldn't help myself and this scene has been playing in my head for a while now. If anyone wants to give me some ideas for this story, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Ron will definitely make an appearance at some point, but I can't decide on whether or not to bring Astoria back into the story. Let me know!**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

**Diclaimer: Harry Potter and characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing.**

**Hermione Pov:**

I sit at my desk and sigh while rubbing the sides of my forehead. I did not sign up for this. I've been working here for a little over a month, and that stupid bet the men have placed on who can get me in the sack first is still going strong. Do I look easy to them? Merlin, you'd think they were a bunch of sex crazed hormonal teenagers. It's been a very, _very_ long time since I was intimate with a man, but I'm not about to degrade myself by jumping into bed with any of these pigs. I'm one of the few women here that don't spread their legs for any man in the ministry, seeing as all these pretty young secretaries will do absolutely _anything _for a raise. I overheard two of them talking about all the different positions they tried out on some elderly wizarding judges, and was absolutely mortified! Had they no shame? I had to get more classy women out of the home and working here or else I was going to lose my mind.

Harry and Blaise have taken to escorting me to and from my office at the beginning and end of each day to ward off any suitors who try to drop sleazy pick up lines on me or insinuate crude innuendos. Blaise must have realized he and I will just be friends, or Harry said something to him because he's calmed down with the charms around me. Now we just talk like I would to Harry or George, and our friendship is going really well. I see him a lot outside of work as we often have dinner at the Potters. I've also been seeing a lot of another former Slytherin lately.

It's been about a month since Scorpious' birthday party, and our almost kiss. I have no idea what came over me. One minute he's telling me why his son doesn't have a mother, and the next thing I knew his mouth was inches from descending on mine. When he told me how Astoria just walked out of their lives, I felt the need to reassure him that he was doing a great job with Scorpious, but an even more overwhelming urge to reach out and touch him. The minute our skin came in contact, I felt sparks shoot all over my body, then noticed his faded dark mark. I felt him tense beneath my fingers and moved to trace it to show him that it was okay and he wasn't that person anymore. I didn't expect him to do the same as he brushed over my own dark mark, nor did I think about how yes, we both indeed had battle scars. He didn't want to be marked anymore than I did. When he moved in to kiss me, I lost all coherent thought and for a moment, I wanted nothing more than to feel his lips against mine.

Blaise shouting from down the hallway brought my focus back and I quickly moved away from him. What was I doing? I couldn't kiss Draco Malfoy! Yes, we'd been on friendly terms ever since I came back and I loved being around him, his mother, and his son but I couldn't ruin our friendship just because I was beginning to have a slight crush on him. Okay, so it was more than a slight crush. I loved the way he could challenge me in an argument when most just agreed with me, I loved what he did for the ministry and his determination to make the world a better place, and I loved the way he was around his son and my friends. But I can't risk making things between us awkward because I've come to crave the time spent around both him and his son. And he definitely doesn't feel anything more than friendship for me. Why would he when he's one of the most gorgeous men in all of Britain and can have any girl he wants with a snap of his fingers? Even with makeup and stylish clothing, I'm severely lacking in the looks department. Anytime I see myself in the mirror, all I can hear are Ron's words echoing in my head. _'Why would anyone want you? You're unattractive and nothing special. I'm the only person who'll look past that and put up with you.'_

Ginny actually seems to think Draco's interested in me. I don't see him a lot at work because our jobs have very little to do with each other, but nearly every weekend when I go over to Harry's house, he and Scorpious are there. Neither of us have mentioned that moment in the study, but we often sit by each other at meals or when we all sit in the living room to just chat. He and I talk about everything and nothing at the same time. It astounds me how much we have in common. We enjoy the same novels and wizarding authors, love Italian food, and strive to work our absolute hardest at anything we do. Anytime I talk to him and happen to look up and catch Ginny's eye, she gives me mysterious smiles and knowing looks.

Two weeks ago at my birthday dinner, we had a conversation about him. Scorpious had been thrilled we shared the same birthday month and presented me with a long velvet case. Inside was the most beautiful diamond necklace and matching earrings. I was absolutely speechless. Never in my entire life had I been given such a stunning and expensive gift. When I found my voice, I turned to Draco and Scorpious and thanked them profusely. Scorpious beamed proudly and hugged me tightly, and Draco flashed me a dazzling smile and said Scorp helped him pick it out. Later that night, I was in the kitchen with Ginny when she brought it up.

"So that was quite a gift from Draco, huh?"

"Yes, it was" I agreed. "I can't believe they got me something so exquisite. It was too much."

She waved her hand at my statement. "Nonsense, it's not like he couldn't afford it. Besides it was a perfect present for a man trying to win a woman's affection" she said with a smirk.

I gaped at her. "Affection? No Gin, he's not interested in me that way. We're just friends."

She gave me an are-you-serious look. "Mione, I see the way you two are around each other. You're always joking and laughing, and you look genuinely happy. You have the same interests, are both incredibly clever, hard working at your jobs, and not to mention the fact Scorpious adored you! When you two get wrapped up in a conversation, it's like you're in your own world with just the two of you and the rest of us don't exist. How can you not see that Draco's into you?"

"W-why would he be?" I stammered.

"Why wouldn't he be?" She asked with a confused look. Our conversation was cut short when James came in with a scraped knee due to him falling down when chasing Scorpious. While she tended to him, I thought about what she said. Did Draco really have feelings for me? I didn't have much experience with guys, but I knew I greatly enjoyed the time we spent together and hoped he did too. Then there was Scorp. I'd fallen in love with that little boy. He was so kind and smart, and whenever I was around him I couldn't help but be in a good mood. If I stupidly said something and Draco didn't feel the same, I'd probably not see either of them much anymore, and I was not about to risk that.

I shake myself from my thoughts and focus on the document in front of me. Kingsley is hoping to establish a better trade relationship with the German ministry, but those bunch of old fools are proving to be rather difficult. I've tried to set up many meetings and interactions with them, but it doesn't help that they're all sexist and turn their nose up at my efforts. I'm really starting to get sick of this job. It was fun at first, but it's never really been my cup of tea. I'd like to do something with education and I've had an idea for a while now, but I wonder how Kingsley will take it.

As I'm rereading the document for the third time, I hear a knock on my door. I'm not in the mood to deal with anymore outrageous flirting or sly suggestions, but I have to maintain a professional demeanor. I clear my throat and call out "Enter" and to my surprise, Draco walks in.

"Hello Hermione, I hope I'm not interrupting you?" he asks politely.

"Not at all, I wasn't doing anything important. What can I do for you?" I ask shuffling my papers into a neat pile on the corner of my desk and giving him my attention.

He smiles. "Actually, I'm here as a request from Potter. He and Blaise are out on a mission, and he asked if I could escort you to the floo. If you're still working, I could come back later?"

Glancing at the clock on my wall, I notice that my work day technically ended five minutes ago. "No, no I'm finished for the day. You really didn't have to trouble yourself with waiting for me."

"It's not a problem" he tells me as I stand to collect my bag. "I'm just astounded at the fact many men here don't know how to act in the presence of a lady. It would be nice if we had more women of class working here" he says falling in step beside me as we leave my office and make our way down the hall.

"Really, you support having more women work outside of the home?" I asked looking into his face.

He nods. "Of course, the world has changed and I believe in equality. Women are just as capable as men to perform a job. You're a living testimony to that Ms. Brightest Witch of Her Age" he says and nudges me with his shoulder. I feel the same jolts of electricity shoot through me that I did that time in the study of the Manor. I wonder if he feels the same effects every time we touch.

I ask about his job and he informs me of his cases that day all the way down to the floo network. When we finally reach it he stops and turns to me. "There's something I've wanted to ask you for a while now Hermione" he says looking me in the eye. His eyes are so beautiful. I could stare into them all day.

"Would you by chance be interested in going out to dinner with me tomorrow night? If you don't have any plans?" My heart rate speeds up and my mouth goes dry. Oh My God. He just asked me on a date. Me, Hermione Granger, bookworm extraordinaire. Was Ginny right? Did he really have feelings for me as well? None of the men here have asked me out, choosing instead to try and sweet talk me. I went on a few blind dates in France, but never anyone that I felt so strongly about. And Ron and I only went out a handful of times the entire time we dated. He hated taking me out or doing anything even remotely romantic, saying I would only embarrass him with my average appearance…

He clears his throat uncomfortably and it brings me out of my thoughts. I realize he's still waiting for an answer. Being with him just feels so right and I can be myself. I really would like to go out with him where it's just the two of us. Smiling I say, "Sure Draco, I'd like that."

The next evening, I'm putting the finishing touches on my hair. He'll be here any minute and I'm a jittery mess. I want tonight to go well, but I'm so nervous. My heart is pounding, my palms are sweaty, and I'm seriously debating taking a calming draught.

I've picked a forest green one shoulder cocktail dress that ends just above my knee, and black strapped heels. My makeup is a little more bold with bronze eye shadow and black eyeliner to make the gold come out in my eyes, and red lipstick. I've charmed my hair into soft curls and decided to leave it down. Making my way towards the living room in the flat I bought three weeks ago in wizarding London, I decide to wait for Draco there. I look at myself in the hallway mirror as I pass, and for a minute think maybe I'm not so unattractive.

The doorbell rings signaling his arrival. I take a deep breath, grab a black clutch, and open the door. Draco stands in front of me in a dark three piece suit that contrasts beautifully with his pale skin and brings out the silver in his eyes. He's holding a bouquet of different colored carnations, my favorite flowers. His eyes widen when he catches sight of me and he doesn't say anything for several seconds. Was I wrong about my appearance? Did he not like what he was seeing? Oh no, I thought I looked alright just a few minutes ago.

"Hermione, you look so beautiful" he says looking me from head to toe as a smile slowly breaks out on his face. His compliment immediately stops all the negative thoughts in my head. I can't remember the last time someone called me beautiful. And it feels so good to hear it, especially coming from someone like Draco. "These are for you" he says handing me the bouquet.

"Thank you. You look quite dashing yourself. I'll just go put these in some water" I say taking the flowers from him and walking over to the kitchen. He comes in and closes the door behind him. Finding a vase and situating the flowers in it, I take another deep calming breath. I probably should have taken that draught, but it's too late now. I go over to him and he offers his arm like he did when he took me on a tour at the Manor. "Ready to go?" he asks. I nod, take his arm, and he apparates us to the front of an Italian restaurant. We enter and he tells the host that we have a reservation under the name Malfoy. The host smiles, and leads us to a private booth in the back. Looking around I can tell that this is a very fancy restaurant. Once we're seated and given menus, I notice the prices aren't even listed. Draco doesn't seem to mind as he calls for the most expensive bottle of wine to be brought over. A waiter brings it almost immediately and takes our order, and then it's just the two of us.

"So where is Scorpious this evening?" I ask trying to get a conversation started.

"Staying the night with mother at the manor. He begged me to bring him along so he could see you. Threw a fit when I told him tonight was for grownups only" he laughs and I join him. After that, conversation flows easily between the two of us. He asks about my time spent in Paris and praises my accomplishments while working there. I ask how he enjoys his work and how it feels to be so young but so accomplished. He says he's glad he can make up for his past and thankful for the opportunity to do right and set an example for his son. I really admire that about him. Everything he does is for Scorpious. We talk about our childhoods, favorite subjects in school, and even our friends. It seems I've misjudged a lot of former Slytherins as he tells me about what it was like growing up in a pureblooded household. If I had parents like some of them did, I would have been mean and nasty in school as well.

Once we finish our meal, he stands up and offers me his hand, then leads me out onto the dance floor. He's a wonderful dancer and leads so effortlessly. There are lots of couples around us, but I'm only focused on him. He holds me close to his body and stares into my eyes as though he can see into my very soul. The entire setting is so romantic and even better than that time at the Yule ball.

"I'm glad you agreed to come out with me Hermione. And I'm very happy you decided to come back to England" he says softly.

"Me too" I whisper. And I really am. I didn't know what to expect when I came back, and I never thought that I would become a part of Draco and his son's life, but I'm thankful for it all the same. Because when I'm with them, I don't feel unappreciated or ugly. I feel like I really matter.

We dance for a long time until the restaurant is getting ready to close up. We've been here for nearly six hours, but the time seemed to fly. He apparates me back to my apartment and tells me he had a really great time. I say the same and then he leans forward and kisses my forehead. It's the perfect ending to a perfect first date. He asks if he can see me again and we agree to a second date.

The next day I floo over to Harry and Ginny's and tell them all about my evening with Draco. Harry seems really happy for me and Ginny says "See, I told you Mione! He really likes you!" I really liked him too. I never thought I would actually be saying that about my childhood bully, but life has a funny way of turning out.

Our next date is at the park on a Saturday, and this time he brings Scorpious along. We have a picnic lunch under a tree and then spend the rest of the day chasing after and playing with Scorp. To onlookers, we must have appeared as a family on a day out. It certainly felt that way and I try to picture a permanent life with Draco and his son. The thought brings me a lot of happiness and I find that I'm seriously falling in deep with these Malfoy men.

At the end of the day Draco is walking me back to my apartment with Scorpious asleep on his shoulder. He tried so hard to fight his sleep in the last hour, but he just couldn't fight it anymore. We come to my front door, and I turn to face him. "Today was really fun. I enjoyed spending it with the both of you" I say.

"I had fun too" he says. He shifts Scorpious for into a more comfortable position, then turns his attention back to me. "So have you heard about the Halloween ball?"

I nod. "Isn't it at the manor?"

"Yes" he confirms. "I was wondering if you would like to accompany me there?"

Inside, I'm jumping for joy. I'd been wanting to go to it, and a few men from work tried to ask me, but I turned them down in the hopes of him asking me. I was beginning to think he wouldn't. "I'd love to Draco" I say with a huge grin.

He grins back, then leans down and plants a kiss on my cheek. "Wonderful. It's a date then."

A few days later I'm walking down the streets of Diagon Alley. I need to pick up a few groceries, but also I want to look for a dress. I haven't been to a formal event in years and this one is really important. I want to look my absolute best. I step into a dress shop and browse around. There are some really pretty gowns here, but not exactly what I'm looking for. Some are too frilly, others too low cut, and some just downright too provocative. I leave the shop empty-handed and decide to ask Ginny to come shopping with me this weekend if she's feeling up to it. Her morning sickness has been really affecting her lately and I don't want to push her.

"Hello Herms."

I come to an abrupt stop right there in the middle of the street. That voice. That stupid nickname. That derisive tone. All things that I hoped to never hear again. My heart is pounding so loud I think he might be able to hear it. _Oh no! Oh please no! Not now! Not when everything is going so well for me!_ All this is playing over and over again in my head as I slowly turn around and face one of my biggest fears about returning to England. There he is in the flesh.

Ronald Weasley.

"I've been seeing quite a bit of you in the papers lately. That's all anyone has been able to talk about. The famous Hermione Granger is back in Britain and working at the Ministry!" he mocks in his sickly sweet tone. He's put on a bit of weight since the last time I saw him. Not fat, but definitely on the chunky side. With an appetite like his and no daily exercise, it was bound to catch up with him. His once bright blue eyes are dull and bloodshot. Still heavily drinking I see. His face is unshaven and rugged, and his hair flat and grimy. His clothes are wrinkled and stained, and his skin sullen. He's still every bit the slob I remember.

"Nothing to say? You used to never shut up" he continues taking a step closer to me. I instinctively take a step back and remind myself we're in a public place and he can't hurt me. There are witnesses all around. Though to all of them it looks like we're just talking.

He raises his eyebrows at me and then an ugly smile forms on his face. "I kept waiting for you to come by and see me. I still live in our apartment. Been keeping it ready for when you finally decided to come crawling back to me."

I seem to find my voice then. "I'm not coming back to you Ron. I'll never go anywhere with you again." I've managed to keep the fear out of my tone and my voice sounds strong even to my own ears.

The horrible excuse of a smile is still in place. "Where else are you going to go? I'm the only one that's ever loved you. The only one that can look past your appearance and give you a purpose in life. I took you in, gave you a home, taught you your place, and was going to allow you the priveledge of being my wife before you decided to run off and completely neglect your duties."

His words make my blood boil and I shoot a glare at him. "Being with you was anything but a priveledge! It caused nothing but pain and I regret not getting away from you sooner. You won't dictate what 'my place' is, and I certainly won't take on the horrible role of your wife!"

The smile falls from his face and it turns up into a scowl. "Enough of this Herms. I allowed you to go off and get this rebellious nature out of your system. It's time for you to take care of your responsibilities."

He _allowed_ me to go off? No, more like drove me off! Has he forgotten the hell he put me through? "You will never _allow_ me to do anything again" I spit at him. "I'm not going back to you so you can continue to abuse me and accuse me of cheating, when you run off and do that very thing. You're the one who has no purpose! You're nothing but a drunken slob trying to reach for glory that isn't even yours and get off on pushing around those weaker than you. You're a sorry excuse of a man and I'll never allow you to hurt me again!"

His scowl turns into a horrible sneer and he begins to advance menacingly towards me. I step to the left and am right in the path of a group of oncoming citizens. Others around us look up and I hear them start to whisper.

"….is that Hermione Granger?"

"….she's back and working…"

"…looks like Ron Weasley…"

"…not sure if they're still friends…"

"…look like they might be having a disagreement…"

"…saw her backing away from him…"

Ron seems to realize where we are and stops. The group pass by me, but by now several people on and around the street are watching the exchange between the two of us. For right now I'm safe, but I don't need to be out and alone for the time being.

Giving me a dark look he says lowly, "You always did have to do things the hard way you little bitch. Clearly you still haven't learned to watch that smart mouth of yours. It always did get you in trouble. Guess I'll just have to reteach you. Make no mistake, you will come back to me. And when you do, you won't be leaving again." With that he turned around and walked away.

I found the nearest apparition spot and landed back in my apartment. His hateful words, dark threat, and all the memories of life with him came flooding back to me and I sat on the couch and cried. Why was he still after me? Why couldn't he leave me alone? And why now, when things are just starting to look right for me?

I cried for about thirty minutes, and was then able to calm and collect myself. I took my wand out and erected powerful wards around my apartment. No one will be getting near me without me knowing well before they reach the door. Ronald Weasley hurt me once before, but I took back control of my life. I left him and promised myself that I would never again allow someone to hurt me the way he did. I will keep that promise. And now that I'm leading a fulfilling life and have a real chance of happiness with my friends and Scorpious and Draco, I am not going to allow him to take it away.

**AN: I'll be honest, I've spent days and hours on this chapter and have re-written and re-edited it many times, but I'm still not happy with the way it turned out. Definitely not one of my better ones. Please tell me what you'd like to happen next and I'll see what I can do!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing.**

**Draco Pov:**

The ball is starting in fifteen minutes, and I've just sprayed on a bit of cologne as the finishing touch to my attire. I'm going to be the envy of every man here tonight and I can't help the smug satisfaction that accompanies that thought. Because I'm the one who gets to call the ethereal Hermione Granger their date.

At some point tonight, I'm hoping we can establish an actual relationship together. I want to see where this could go. She's not like any of the other women I've ever met. She's kind, caring, smart, beautiful, couldn't care less about my money, and most importantly loves and adores Scorpious. I know there's something strong between us, and I intend to explore it.

She's actually the only woman I've ever courted or wanted to enter a relationship with. I've never really liked being tied down to one woman, and if I take them out it's only for the sex at the end. I'm usually able to sneak out a couple hours later and return home so I can see Scorp the next morning. But I want more than just sex from Hermione, and have kept to Potter's advice about taking things slow.

After I realized I did in fact like her, I confessed to him and Blaise in his office. Blaise gloated about being right as was expected, but I didn't think Potter would like it seeing how he's so protective of her. He surprised me by saying he was all for it, but warned me not to rush things with her.

"You have to warm her up to just being around you. Once you've done that, then you can ask her out on a date. But you still have to take things slowly, don't expect it to be like all the times you're out with other women" he'd said while we were eating in the cafeteria one day.

"Alright, any suggestions on how I go about this?" I asked.

He thought about it for a minute. "She comes over every weekend so we can all spend time together. You come too and bring Scorpious. Engage in conversation with her and try to be around her at all times in general. That'll be the easiest way to make her comfortable. It'll also make the transition easy on Scorpious if it works and you two do become involved."

I'd already been doing that the times I was around her, but this was a steady plan and I'd take anything I could get. Conversing with her was easy and natural, and every time I was around her I had to fight the urge to put my arm around her or kiss her. I still felt the chemistry between us I had that day in the study, and surely she felt it too. Potter spoke to Ginny and told me she was talking me up to Hermione. I needed all the points I could get, and Ginny threw a birthday dinner for her. I wanted my gift to be something memorable and didn't think a book would quite do it justice, so I settled for jewellery. I brought Scorp along to the jewelers shop, and we spent a good hour just browsing around. When the jeweler showed us the necklace and earring set, I immediately thought of her and Scorp gave his approval. I let him present it to her, and by her response she really loved it. Later that night I sat with Potter in his sitting room and he praised my gift and efforts at wooing her.

"That was a genius gift. I don't think she's ever gotten something like that, and she really seemed to like it. And letting Scorpious give it to her made it all the more personal."

"Yeah, he almost told her what it was when we first got here. I had to try and keep him away until she got to presents" I chuckled remembering his eagerness. "So, do you think she'd agree if I asked her on a date?"

He slowly nodded. "Yes, I believe she would. Ginny says she really likes you too. Just remember to keep taking things slow. She hasn't had the best experience with relationships" he murmured darkly.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

He seemed to be in deep thought for a minute. Then he sighed and said, "Listen Malfoy, I think you're really good for Mione. If I didn't, I wouldn't be trying to help you get her. And I think she's exactly what both you and Scorpious are looking for. But she has a past and she's been hurt. Ginny and I are the only ones who know the story, and she made us swear not to say anything. I can't tell you about it because I can't betray her trust, but I'm hoping she'll eventually tell you herself. Just be patient with her and when she's ready, she'll let you in."

I wanted to get him to tell me more, but I understood it wasn't his story to tell. Who had hurt her? And what exactly did he mean by hurt? Emotional or physical? The thought of someone putting their hands on her made me furious. I remember that day the Potters told us they were expecting again, she'd said she and the Weasel had broken it off and it didn't end on good terms. Was it him? Is that why he and Potter were no longer friends?

I waited for the perfect opportunity to ask her out and it finally came a couple weeks later. Potter or Blaise had been escorting her to keep the dirty fucking pigs at work from trying to seduce her. When he came by my office to ask me to take over at the end of the day, I knew this was my chance and was ecstatic when she accepted. She looked gorgeous when I went to pick her up and I couldn't take my eyes off her. I have no idea how long we were at that restaurant talking, laughing, and dancing, but all too soon we were apparating back to her apartment. I really wanted to kiss her, but I didn't want to mess things up so I opted instead for kissing her forehead. Despite how different it was from my normal dates, I enjoyed it and couldn't wait to do it again.

The next date was even more personal. I brought Scorp along to see how things went. They both already liked each other a lot and I wasn't worried per ce, but this was the first time we weren't surrounded by other friends and family. It was just the three of us. Needless to say, it went off without a hitch. I've never seen Scorpious so taken with someone he hadn't known all his life. Hermione was able to keep up with him all day and he absolutely craved being around her. She thoroughly wore him out because he fell asleep on me while walking her back to her apartment. When I asked her to come with me to the ball, I didn't feel like that was the best time to actually kiss her, seeing as my arms were full with my son. I settled for a kiss on the cheek because I was waiting for the perfect opportunity.

Hopefully tonight it will present itself. We agreed that she would floo over, and I'd escort her into the ballroom. I know it's only been two months, but I think I'm falling for her. She's everything I could ever want and more. She'd be a perfect mother for Scorpious. I know I'm probably getting a little ahead of myself, but that's all I've been able to think about since that day in the park.

I hear footsteps running down the hall and the door flies open. "Daddy! People are starting to come, but James isn't here yet. Neither is Mione" Scorp tells me. We decided to let the boys come along tonight and play with each other. Scorp is dressed like me and looks quite good in his mini tux.

"Well it's still a little early Scorp. Don't worry, I'm sure they'll be here soon. How about we go downstairs to wait for them?" I ask and he nods. We make our way down and wait in a room a little ways down the hall from the ballroom. Most people will be arriving through the front door, but our friends will be coming in through the fireplace of this room. No sooner do we get there, the Potters come out. Scorpious and James immediately begin chasing each other down the hallway. I shake Potter's hand and kiss Ginny on the cheek.

"She'll be here soon. You won't believe your eyes when you see her" she says with a wink. She goes on with Potter and in the next five minutes Blaise and the Nott's arrive. I'm starting to get a little anxious. Shouldn't she be here by now?

As soon as the thought crosses my mind, the green flames roar up again and out she steps. My jaw becomes unhinged and my eyes bulge. She looks…breathtaking.

She's wearing a long black strapless trumpet gown with a small train in the back. Her hair is done up in a fancy twist but with curls cascading down over one shoulder. Her makeup is done perfectly and she's wearing the diamond necklace and matching earrings I gave her.

"Hermione…you look…amazing" I manage to get out.

She blushes. "Thank you. So do you." I shake myself out of my daze and escort her from the room down the hall. The doors magically open for us and we approach the room arm in arm. Everyone stops what they're doing and looks up at us, some in shock, some in disbelief, and a few in joy including my mother. She's been very open to the idea of me and Hermione dating and encourages it.

I lead her down the steps and over to our group of friends to converse for a little while. Lots of people stare at us and as I predicted, many men shoot jealous glares at me. Soon the music starts and I ask her for a dance. We twirl around the ballroom and yet again I'm lost in the feeling of having her in my arms. She fits so perfectly. We dance through three straight songs until Potter cuts in for a dance. I dance with Ginny, Pansy, and a few of my clients who've been invited to attend. Every once in a while I look up and notice that she has a new partner. She danced with a couple of the more levelheaded men from work, Blaise, Theo, and even Scorp got a few dances with her. Somehow we wind up together again, and I don't let her go.

After a while I lead her out of the ballroom, up the staircase, and back into the study for a drink. We both sip on a glass of red wine

"Did you enjoy yourself tonight?" I ask.

"Yes, I've had the most wonderful evening. I'm glad I came" she answers.

"I'm glad you came too Hermione. Especially with me" I tell her taking a step closer so that if I wanted I could reach out and touch her. We're in the same position we were in the day of Scorp's party, and this time I plan to play this scene right.

"I've really enjoyed our time together and how close we've gotten since you came back." I tell her as I reach up and cup her cheek. She looks into my eyes and I can see a bit of hesitance, but also desire. She wants this to happen between us as much as I do. I run my thumb back and forth across her skin and hear her breath hitch. "I want to be with you Hermione. You make me feel things I've never felt for another woman. You are truly an amazing witch. Tell me you want to be with me too."

She closes her eyes as I say all this and continue to rub her cheek. Then she opens them and stares at me with such a passion. "Yes" she breathes. "I want this. I want to be with you, Draco."

That's all I need. I bring my head down and close the distance between us. The moment our lips meet, sparks fly into an all consuming fire. I swipe at at her seam with my tongue and she instantly opens, allowing me access. She tastes like wine but also something that is uniquely her. I put my arms around her waist and pull her against me. She in turn wraps hers around my neck, and there's no space between us.

We stand there kissing for long moments until we finally break away for lack of air. She smiles up at me and says, "So I guess this means we're an official couple now?" I return her smile and lean down for a quick peck. "Absolutely. You're mine now."

The next Monday at work, news has traveled of our relationship. Some of our old school mates can't believe we are together, but I don't really care. I've taken the liberty of escorting her to and from work although the men dropped their bet once we got together. They know better than to try and steal from me. Sometimes she'll come and watch me at my cases and congratulate me on the wins. I tell her she's my good luck charm because since we've been dating, I haven't lost a case yet.

We go out for dinner at least once a week so we can have our alone time. Reporters have caught on to our relationship and we ended up on the front of several papers for a few weeks. She seemed a little worried about that for some reason, but when I asked she just brushed my question off and said it was nothing. Mother loves her and asks for her input when decorating a new room, or brings her out shopping. I think she's always wanted a daughter and Hermione is perfect for her.

She usually comes over for dinner every day after work and spends time with Scorpious. She's even gotten to where she bathes and reads a story to him before bed. Before I know it another month has passed and we're still going strong. She's absolutely perfect in every way and I'll never find a better motherly figure for my son even if I tried. I don't deserve her after everything I did in school, but I thank whatever deity that allowed me this second chance to win her heart.

She still hasn't mentioned anything about past relationships. I don't want to push and ask her, but I want her to know she can tell me anything. If this is going to work out, there can't be any secrets between us. I remember Potter's words of she'll tell me when she's ready. I'll just have to wait patiently but continue to show her that I'll never do anything to hurt her.

**AN: Short chapter I know! I read all of your reviews and I promise I've taken in what you said and will use it, but there has to be a few filler chapters to show their relationship progressing before we get on with the more dramatic things. Also to those of you who wished for Astoria to return, I've decided that she won't be making a further appearance unless they talk about her in context. She gave away all rights to her son, so there's really not much she can try to do and I don't want to go down the whole psycho crazy kidnap her own child path. There's only room for one crazy ex in this story and I'm having a hard time portraying his character as it is. Thank you all so much for your reviews and ideas and baring with me through this story!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing.**

**Hermione Pov:**

"…and lastly, I think it can only help us move forward and continue to embrace our ever changing world" I finish. I'm currently sitting in Kingsley's office and have just finished proposing my idea. It took me a week to finally be able to book an appointment with him, seeing as he is a very busy man, and I tried to make our meeting quick and to the point so he can get on with his day.

Kingsley has sat silently through the entire thing, nodding politely at some points, and letting me lay everything on the table so to speak. Now that I'm done he seems to be deep in thought. Does he think my idea has any merit at all? I certainly hope so.

After a few moments he finally speaks. "I think…what you have suggested has a lot of potential…it would not only benefit magical children…it would also allow a way for women to seek out careers…"

Although he agrees with the points I have made, I can hear the bit of hesitance in his voice. "But?" I offer so he can go ahead and tell me his concern.

He sighs. "You have to understand Hermione, just because I'm the minister, I can't just snap my fingers and make it happen, no matter how much I want to. This is the way it has been done in our world for centuries. While your idea would certainly be beneficial, it would require a lot of support from the community and even more money to build it up."

I nod my head in understanding of his words. I knew this would be one of the problems I faced when this idea came to me. When something is done one way for so many years, people become dependent on it and it's hard to accept any kind of change. For my idea to take place, I would need support both morally and financially from a person or group with a lot of influence in the wizarding community.

"Like I said, I think your idea has so much potential" he continues giving me a smile. "I'll definitely present it to the board of education and anyone looking to fund a project. You never know what could happen."

We talk about my current job for a few minutes and how to get the German ministry to be more cooperative. I've made a little leeway with them, but not much. Kingsley's secretary sends a memo in informing him that his next appointment is in a few minutes. He tells me again how much he likes my idea and I leave feeling better about it. After all anything is better than a downright no.

Walking out, I see Draco sitting in one of the chairs outside Kingsley's office. He stands up, walks over to me, pulls me into his arms, and kisses me sweetly. We've been dating for nearly two months, but I still feel the sparks and passion every time we kiss and get the butterflies in my stomach anytime I'm near him. No one has ever affected me the way he does.

He pulls back and looks down at me with a roguish grin. "Hey."

"Hi" I greet back. "You're Kingsley's next meeting?"

He nods. "Yeah, we're reviewing an old law that many want updated. So how did it go?"

Draco knew all about my idea. He'd asked my job was going when we first got together and I confessed that I didn't really want to do it anymore and was more interested in education. I told him about it and he said he thought it was brilliant, and was the one who encouraged me to present it to Kingsley.

"He liked it, but said I would need a lot of support to pull it off. At least he didn't outright reject it" I tell him. "I don't know anyone who would take on my proposal though" I sigh dejectedly.

He quirks an eyebrow at me. "I know I did not just hear the great Hermione Granger sound defeated. My girlfriend, the most clever witch of the century and most strong willed woman I've ever met, would stand up and fight for what she believes is right. She never backs down from a challenge and she most certainly doesn't take no for an answer."

I beam at his words. This is one of the reasons I think I've fallen in love with him. Not only does he support me in every way he can, but anytime I don't have faith in myself or my abilities, he reminds me of just who I am and all of my accomplishments. He knows this idea is really important to me and he's all for it.

"You're right. This has so many merits to it, and I'm going to do everything in my power to make it happen" I tell him.

"That's my girl" he says and leans down for another kiss. "Besides, you never know what beneficiaries are looking for. You might hace someone take your proposal quicker than you think." He gives me a knowing smile and has a strange look on his face, like he knows something I don't.

Draco goes on to his meeting with Kingsley and I walk down to my office. I'm still smiling from our encounter as I sit behind my desk. I cannot believe how lucky I am. I've never in my life been so happy as when I'm with him and Scorpious. I find myself counting down the work hours until I get to floo over to their home and see my little man. Scorpious accepted his father and my relationship very well and we've grown so close in these past months. If ever Draco has to work late or on weekends, I stay with Scorp or he spends the night with me in my flat. These are the best because I get to wake up to him sloppily kissing my cheek and giving the biggest hugs. We've established a routine at night. He insists on a story from either Draco or I, and demands a goodnight kiss from the both of us. It all feels so natural and I've come to think of Scorp as ours rather than just Draco's.

As for Draco and me, I think I've found the one. I can't imagine my life without him and feel a little depressed when I return home alone to my flat. We haven't taken the next step and become intimate yet, but there has been wondering hands on both of our parts, 'accidental' brushes against my backside or his front, and very intense snogging. He hasn't pressured me to do anything I don't want to and showers me with compliments and attention. He's so patient and caring, putting real time and effort into our relationship unlike Ron did…

Speaking of him, I haven't seen him since that day in Diagon Alley. Anytime I go out, I always make sure I'm with someone else so he doesn't try to corner me alone again. When I went dress shopping with Ginny for the Halloween ball, I got the strangest feeling that someone was watching me. I brushed it off and told myself I was being paranoid. Then, once while on a date with Draco, I could have sworn I saw a flash of red hair and pair of blue eyes watching me from outside the window, but when I looked there was nothing there. It's just my imagination I'm sure, but even still I check my wards every night to make sure they're still in place.

I haven't told Harry about my encounter with him. It really wasn't anything big, just him making a useless threat and there hasn't been anything since. Why worry him when it's probably nothing? I don't want him to feel like he always has to watch out for me, and I can handle myself. Between Ron and me, my magic is definitely stronger. Harry has however been pressuring me into telling Draco of Ron's abuse.

I just don't know if I can do that. Draco is so wonderful and everything is going so perfectly between us. Why ruin it by bringing up my past? He wouldn't want me if he knew about the baggage I carried. Would he? I'm also terrified that he may think it's unsafe to leave Scorpious with me or decide it's not worth pursuing our relationship if I tell him. I can't lose either of them now! Anytime we talk, he always says that I can tell him anything and I can trust him. I know I can, but every time I think about telling him I freeze up and change the subject. No, I can't tell him yet. It'll just have to wait.

Today is the last day of work, and then we're on holiday for Christmas. I completed all my Christmas shopping last week and cannot wait to celebrate this year. I'm going to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at my parent's house in Australia, and then floo back and spend Christmas Evening with Draco and Scorpious as well as the Potters and Weasleys. I told my parents in letters that I've begun a relationship with him and he has a child. They knew of Draco as the bully from school because I told them about him when coming home from school. At first they were a little opposed to my relationship with him, but I explained how much he'd changed and how amazing his little boy was, and they warmed up to the idea and said they trusted my judgment. My mother even joked that maybe he was only mean to me in school all those years because he secretly harbored a crush on me. I highly doubt that, but it's nice to think about.

Draco has asked about them and wants to meet them and introduce Scorp to them. I want that too and will discuss it with them when I visit. Things are definitely getting serious between us and it's only right since I've already met his mother. Narcissa and I have a fabulous relationship and I've even become close to Andromeda as well.

I finish work and go home with Draco as usual. The next few days I spend nearly all my time with them and am a little put out about leaving for two days. But I miss my parents and it's been a while since my last visit, so I'm excited too.

Christmas Eve morning I find myself walking up the driveway to their modest little home. I'd apparated onto the international Australian spot, then apparated here and am feeling a little drained magically, but that doesn't stop the spring in my step. I knock on the door and a few seconds later my mother opens it.

"Hermione darling! We've missed you so much" she exclaims while embracing me. My dad comes up behind her and pulls me into his arms as soon as my mother lets go. "You've been gone much too long young lady. We have a lot of catching up to do" he says but I can hear the smile in his tone.

We spend the next few hours chatting over tea about my job, my friends, and most importantly my new relationship. I go into more detail about everything Draco has done and tell them all about Scorpious. They have no problem that he was married before, but they've always been rather accepting. They both ask if I'm truly happy with Draco and if he treats me better than Ron did. They know Ron was controlling and abusive, but they don't know about what he tried to do the day I left him, nor the encounter we've had since then. I tell them I am, and they say that's all that matters.

The next day we exchange Christmas presents. They give me a few new books from some of my favorite authors such as Jane Austen, clothes, and even some perfume. I give my mother a gift card to a day at a spa, and my father some new golf clubs. He loves the sport and plays in his spare time. They surprise me by giving me some gifts to take back to Scorpious which include a few muggle storybooks, a baseball and bat set, and some toy cars. I've introduced him to a few muggle concepts and he seemed to like them, so I know he'll love the gifts.

As we're eating lunch together, my parents drop one more surprise on me. They tell me that they've decided to retire and sell their practice, then come back home. They'd been thinking about it ever since I told them I was returning to England and when I said I was in a serious relationship. They want to be closer to me and get to know Draco and his family. I'm absolutely thrilled and cannot wait for all of this to take place.

I finally leave around four and make a quick stop at my flat to grab my gifts for the others. Flooing over to Harry's place, I'm greeted by James, Scorpious, Draco, Harry, Ginny, and all the Weasleys minus Ron. I give them all their presents and sit down to open mine. Scorp sits beside me and 'helps' me open mine. I gave him his gifts first and had to explain the concept of the baseball, bat, and glove, and also the toy cars. Later after dinner, Harry takes him James, and Teddy out in the backyard to teach them the game and Draco and I remain in the living room.

We saved both of our gifts to exchange in private and the time is finally here. I present him with his first and hope he likes it. It's a gold pocketwatch with his and my initials engraved on the back with the words _Merry Christmas Draco_ under them, as well as a bottle of the finest muggle wine I could find. He smiles and thanks me, saying he loves both gifts. He then gives me mine which is another velvet case, though it's square shaped and not long. I open it and gasp. Inside is a beautiful silver bracelet with sapphires surrounding it, and a pair of matching jewel encrusted combs for my hair.

"Oh Draco" I breathe, "They're so beautiful."

"Not nearly as beautiful as you" he whispers. I can feel tears prickling in my eyes, but I quickly blink them back and look up at him.

He reaches out a hand and tucks some stray hairs behind my ear. "I have another Christmas gift for you."

What more did he get me? This is already too much. "What is it?" I ask.

"I found someone who wants to take on your idea. They fell in love with it and want to make it a reality" he says looking down into my eyes.

"Draco…I…don't know what to say…" I can't believe he did that for me. He never ceases to amaze me. How did I get so lucky? "I…" _love you_…"Thank you so much Draco. It means a lot to me. I'm so happy I'm with you" I tell him.

"Good. So am I" he says flashing me his award winning smile and then tilting my chin up and capturing my lips in a kiss. This has been one of the best Christmases I've ever had.

Later that evening I'm at home soaking in my bath tub and thinking about my day. I realize that I've fallen in love with him. I've truly given my heart to the former Slytherin Prince. Who could have foreseen that? I wanted to tell him when he said he'd gotten someone to take on my project proposal, though he wouldn't tell me who it was, but I think it might be a little too soon. It's only been two months, but I don't know if I can hold it in. I want to scream it for all to hear that I've finally found my soul mate.

Just as I'm drying off, I feel something shift in my wards. I clutch the towel close to my body, and grab my wand from the counter. Coming to the kitchen, I peer out of the window that overlooks my small yard. There's nothing out there. I check and all of my wards are still very much intact. That's strange. I could have sworn I felt that someone was close by. Everyone close to me is connected by floo and knows to use that to see me. Maybe it was just an animal or something that got close. But it felt like a dark presence. Could it have been Ron?

No, I immediately brush that thought away. No one knows where I live besides Draco, Scorpious, Harry, and Ginny. I made sure I found this apartment discreetly and kept it out of the papers. There's no way it was him. I'm just being paranoid again.

But as I crawl into bed that night, I can't help the uneasy feeling that creeps up on me, as it has ever since our confrontation that day.

**AN: I figured it was time for her parents to come back, even though they only have a minor role in this story. Also I'll explain what her idea and project is in the next chapter and fill you in on who wants to take it. I agree with all of you who said that she needed to tell Harry and Draco about Ron, but I had an idea on how they find out and decided to go with it. I promise very soon Draco will know about her past and both he and Harry will know that he's still after her. Thank you so much to those that review and everyone for reading my story! I'm glad you like it and will hopefully continue to keep you interested!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing.**

**Draco Pov:**

"And there he is in the flesh ladies and gents, the famous Draco Malfoy!" Blaise calls loudly from across the room. Oh bloody hell, he's already partially sloshed. Well he and the others have been here at the pub for a while, and I only just got here after finishing up the paperwork for my last case. I've had too many long days in the past week and I desperately need this night out with the guys.

"Settle down! You're going to get us kicked out and I haven't even had a damn drink yet" I say grabbing a seat next to him and ordering a firewhiskey. It's Friday night and I'm here with Blaise, Potter, Nott, and Goyle at the Green Dragon and am letting lose. I haven't been able to do this in so long what with having to take care of Scorp and all. Don't get me wrong I love my son more than anything else, but it's nice to be able to have a drink with friends and not have to worry about what we say in front of little ears.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist mate, the party just started! Hey!" he shouts rudely to the maid behind the bar who glares at him, "Another round of shots for us! Put it on his tab" he says jabbing his thumb at me. She huffs, then turns around to get our order. "Bloody bint's been giving me the evil eyes ever since we got here. Don't know what her problem is" he grumbles in what he thinks is a whisper, but I'm sure half the pub heard him.

"Maybe it has to do with the fact that you immediately came in ranting about how women were 'infuriating twats' and 'fucking cockteases' or how you've been criticizing her service nonstop" Theo says throwing a smirk at him while Potter and Goyle chuckle. Have I missed something? Blaise loves women. Well loves seducing them that is.

He scowls at them and takes another drink. Maybe someone should be monitoring him. The drunker he gets, the louder and more obnoxious things spew from his mouth. "Well it's true! They're all crazy, the whole lot of 'em."

"What's the matter Blaise? Your charms don't work on one, so you decide to give them all up?" Potter taunts. "I certainly hope you won't be turning to blokes now." Nott and Goyle laugh loudly and Blaise flips Potter the bird.

Seeing my confused look, Potter finally fills me in. "We investigated a case today and had to call in a curse breaker so they sent us Bill Weasley. Afterwards, he invited us to his place for lunch and his wife's little sister Gabrielle was there. Blaise immediately tried to put the moves on her, but she ignored all of his advances. He then tried to step it up and suggested something crude to her, and she slapped him." Nott and Goyle laugh even more than before and this time I join in. I don't think I've ever heard of a girl rejecting Blaise and he won't be living this down anytime soon.

He glares at all of us. "I was _not _being crude! I was being completely serious when I asked her if she wanted to go for a ride on my big black motorcycle! _She's _the one who took it the wrong way!" This sends us into more hysterical fits of laughter. By knowing Blaise all my life, I can tell from the words he chose he knew exactly what he was asking and meant the more sexual nature of the comment. Although he has taken up with flying motorcycles ever since Potter bought one in remembrance of his godfather. Never one to be shown up, he had to have one too.

"Whatever. At least I'm not whipped like the lot of you. Bet you all had to ask your women if you could come out tonight, huh?" he sneers at us. Potter and Goyle quiet after that and Nott scoffs.

"Actually no, not really" I say taking a sip of my drink. I'd mentioned it to Hermione just in casual conversation this week and she was the one who suggested I go. I asked her if she was certain, and she agreed saying I deserved a break and to stay out as late as I wanted. Scorp is currently over at her place and will probably stay the night. He loves his Mione. He's not the only one…

"Call me crazy, but it sounds like the two of you are getting pretty serious" Nott says looking over at me. The others all shoot me curious looks and I think I should tell them.

"Well, yeah we are. I really care about her. She's not like any of the other women I've ever met and I can see a future with her. She already treats Scorp like her own, and she's absolutely brilliant" I say. I know that had to sound really sappy, but I honestly don't care.

"Malfoy, are you…are you in love with her?" Potter asks and the whole table leans in closer so as not to miss my answer.

I think about his question. Was I in love with Hermione? I couldn't picture myself with anyone else, and had come to expect her presence around my home as well as me and my son. I loved her laugh, I loved her smile, and I just loved being around her. I realize then what my answer is. A slow smile spreads across my face and I nod. "Yes… I am."

As I predicted, Blaise got us kicked out of the bar a good hour and a half later for shouting obscenities at the barmaid when she cut him off. He was completely plastered and both Potter and I had to get him home and in bed. Being the good friend that I am, I left a glass of water and a hangover cure potion on his bedside table. Clearly he wasn't taking Gabrielle's rejection well.

Glancing down at my pocket watch, I see that it's only nine thirty. Scorp will have been asleep for a while now, but I don't feel like going home. I decide to pay them a visit and just talk with Hermione. I don't plan on telling her that I love her just yet. I want the moment and mood to be just right and somehow I don't think she'd appreciate it if I said it after a night drinking with the boys.

I floo over to her apartment and see her sitting at her table with a glass of tea and a book. She looks up when I come in and gives me a smile. "Back so soon? I figured you'd be out a lot longer. And I didn't think you'd be coming by."

I come over and lean down for a kiss, then sit down beside her. "Blaise cut our night short by offending the barmaid. He was trying to nurse his wounded ego with nearly a barrel of firewhiskey." I tell her the story Potter told me and we share a laugh again.

"Fleur had told me her little sister was coming in. She's very prim and proper so I'm sure what he said mortified her" she comments.

"So how was your and Scorp's night?" I ask.

"Wonderful. We had macaroni and cheese for dinner, and then watched a movie on the telly before he fell asleep." She'd explained all about the telly the first time Scorp and I came to her apartment. He was absolutely fascinated by the muggle contraption, and I'll admit I was very intrigued.

We share a glass of tea and a few more stories about our day before I notice that it's nearly midnight. Time seems to absolutely fly when I'm with her. "Well, I suppose I should let you get your rest. You have a big day tomorrow" I say giving her a smile. "Are you nervous?"

She nods. "Yes, I've been thinking about it all week. And the fact that you _still_ won't tell me who took on my project has my nerves shot" she says giving me a pointed look.

I grin. "I want it to be a surprise. You have nothing to worry about, I promise. You're going to do great at your proposal tomorrow." Checking the time again, I say "Well I should probably go."

"No, wait" she says putting her hand on my arm to hault my movements. "It's really pointless for you to floo back home since Scorpious is here for the night and you'd be all alone. Why don't you just stay over?"

We haven't taken our relationship to the next level yet, although I seriously want to. At work this week I pulled her into a storage closet after another win at my trial, and we heavily made out. So caught up in the moment, I began to massage her breasts through her blouse and she in turn pushed her body up against mine and let her hands wander down dangerously close to my crotch area. The moment was cut short when a janitor happened to open _that _particular closet for supplies. It was pretty embarrassing. I haven't slept with anyone since I started pursuing Hermione, and I've been incredibly randy because of it. But I want our first time together to be special, and with two prominent careers and a kid, not a lot of opportunities present themselves. I know I won't be getting any action tonight, but I will be getting to sleep next to her and at this moment I'll take whatever I can get.

"Sure. That sounds great." That night, I sleep more peacefully than I have in years. I hold Hermione in my arms, and she has Scorpious pulled up close to her chest. We looked like the perfect family and I feel like my life is truly complete.

We're awoken that next morning by Scorp jumping in between us and showering us in hugs and kisses. He didn't expect to find me here with them, but seems overjoyed. We eat breakfast and play with him all morning until it's time to get ready for Hermione's meeting. We leave her to get ready, and then Scorp and I floo home to change after I tell her we'll come back to escort her in about an hour.

Getting ready myself only takes about ten minutes. I won't technically be at the meeting, but I'll be in the vicinity. Scorpious is a different story. He's extremely hyperactive and I'm starting to regret letting him have those four cookies after lunch. While bathing him, he couldn't sit still and ended up sloshing water all over the bathroom floor and walls. Then he decided that he didn't want to wear the clothes I picked out for him which led to a chase all over our home. It took me threatening to not let him see Hermione again before he finally calmed down. Anything to do with her seems to have that affect on him.

He was so happy when I told him Hermione and I were seeing each other, though I don't think he quite understood what that meant. But when he realized he got to see her more, it thrilled him. Now it's been three months and life with her has become permanent routine. We couldn't go back to the way things were if we tried.

We floo back over to pick her up right on time, but as I call out for her I don't see or hear her anywhere. She didn't know where we were going, so she couldn't have gone on ahead. I walk through the kitchen and see her standing in the yard through the window. She's got her wand out and is inspecting all around. Had she seen something?

I go outside and call out to her. "Hermione?" She whips around to face me, but puts her wand in the pocket of her skirt. "Is something wrong?" I ask.

"I…thought I felt a shift in my wards…strange…" She has a confused look on her face and that worries me a little. She must have sensed this and says, "Don't worry it had to have been a squirrel or something. I'm sure it's nothing." I'm nod but am not entirely convinced. For her to have felt a shift in the wards, surely that meant it was a human presence, right? It would know the difference between us and animals. Maybe it was a reporter. Those buggars have been following us around anytime we go out, and they've probably been trying to track her down and see where she lives.

"Come on, we're going to be late if we don't get a move on" she says taking my hand and leading me back into the flat. I scoop Scorpious up, step into the fireplace with her and call out, "Malfoy Manor!" The dizzying sensation sets in as we spin around and around in the green flames before we finally land in one of the sitting rooms.

Brushing off the soot from her blouse and skirt, she turns to me very confused and says, "Draco, what are we doing at the Manor? I thought we were meeting with the group who wants to take on my proposal?"

"We are" I say and grin at her still confounded look. I don't say anything else and simply take her hand and lead her to one of the more elegant sitting rooms where mother, Andromeda, Kingsley, and Teddy are waiting. When we arrive, Scorpious immediately runs over and mother engulfs him in a hug. Looking down at Hermione, she seems shocked as she finally puts the pieces together. Turning to the other occupants of the room, I say "May I present to you Ms. Hermione Granger, the planner behind this brilliant project you've decided to take on."

Mother and Andromeda greet her warmly, but try to maintain the business prospect of the meeting. Dory is called to bring in afternoon tea and while the four of them converse, I take Scorp and Teddy outside to throw a quaffle back and forth. Hermione had relaxed once she got over her initial shock that it was my mother and aunt who were going to fund and carry out her project, and I'm sure she's doing an amazing job of explaining it in more thorough detail.

Back at the beginning of our relationship, we were sitting on her couch just talking and I asked her how she was liking her job so far. She told me that she was losing interest in it quickly and wanted to do something else. At first I thought that it was because of the men treating her like a piece of meat, but she said she felt like she had another calling in the education field.

"You mean like a professor? Do you want to teach at Hogwarts?" I asked.

"Well, no not exactly" she answered. "I've had this idea for a while now and I think it could really help the wizarding world."

This sounded interesting. "Go on" I encouraged.

"Well you see, kids like Harry and I had absolutely no clue that we were magical. We didn't enter the wizarding world until we were eleven, and that put us at a disadvantage from the children like yourself who have been in it their whole life" she began.

I gave her my infamous smirk. "You didn't seem to be at a disadvantage. In fact, you rose to the challenge and became the smartest witch to ever walk the halls of Hogwarts."

She blushed at my words. I loved how easy it was to make her do that, but she knew what I said was true. "Yes, well I've always been rather studious and felt the need to prove my worth over and over again. But to others, it presents a challenge. Not to mention that when they display magical abilities in the muggle world by accident, they're often labeled as strange or freaks and feel like an outcast. I think if the ministry were to approach them sooner and inform them of what they are, it would help tremendously with their transition from the muggle world into the magical one."

I considered her words. She had a point, and I hadn't ever thought about how hard it must be for those who haven't grown up around magic. Ever since the war and all the lives that had been lost, the number of muggleborn witches and wizards had increased greatly. By the time Scorpious entered Hogwarts, they were probably going to make up around half of the school. "Okay, I see your point, but even if they are approached and told what they are from an earlier age, how exactly does that help them? It's not like their muggle parents can teach them anything about our world and most magical children are homeschooled until they're ready to go off to Hogwarts or any other wizarding school."

"That's the other part to my idea" she told me. "For centuries children have stayed home and learned all about their magic and abilities from their parents, mostly their mothers. If both parents are magical, then the child usually doesn't know anything about what it's like for a child who comes from an entirely muggle background and it creates a barrier in friendships between them. So what if they met each other when younger, and went to Hogwarts having already established a relationship of some sort?"

I didn't quite follow what she was saying, but she continued. "What if there was a place for young wizards and witches to go? A school for the children. It would be like Hogwarts, except you wouldn't have to send them off and not see them until breaks. You take them to school in the morning and they learn about magic and maybe even a few basic spells or how to control their outbursts, and then you pick them up at the end of the day. You still get to see them and continue to teach them in your own way, and they have the weekends off to stay home with you. While there, pureblooded children meet half blooded and muggleborn children, and it becomes easier to accept the differences because none of that matters to a child. They would be able to make more friends than just knowing the kids of their parent's friends, and it would be easier and further them along in their social skills. Not to mention the fact that since their mothers have a place to send them, they could be encouraged to work outside of the home and bring in more income to their families. It's like killing two birds with one stone" she finishes, although she later had to explain that muggle saying to me as I was thinking something entirely different than what she meant by it. There was a fire in her eyes throughout her whole speech and I could tell this idea really meant something to her. And after hearing her explanation, I had to admit it was ingenious.

She watched me in anticipation to see what I thought. Slowly, I nodded and gave her a smile. "Hermione, that is absolutely brilliant. And it's such a simple approach to try and completely eradicate prejudices from our world all together. How did you come up with it?"

"It's the way things are done in the muggle world actually. I was very surprised when I found out how different it's done here" she said. "But I don't know how others would take it, and it's just something I think about to pass time. It probably won't happen anyway" she sighed.

This was too big to just pass up. As a parent and someone who grew up with the teaching that anyone less than a pure wasn't good enough to be in our world, I didn't want my child to grow up thinking that way. I wanted Scorpious to judge based on quality and character of a person, not their blood. I spent the next few weeks convincing her of how great her idea was and was glad when she finally took my advice and presented it to Kingsley. I'd already decided I was going to find a way to make it happen for her and for my son, and remembered how mother and Andromeda were still looking for a project to fund. When I went to my meeting with Kingsley and he told me how she presented it, I told him to immediately tell the board of education and I knew just the people who would fund the project. Kingsley caught on quick to who I had in mind, and set up the meeting with them for today. Mother had been taking care of some business in France with her clothing line after Christmas, and was finally able to set up the meeting with Hermione today after being back for a couple of days. I'd already spoken to her and Andromeda about her idea and they immediately decided to take it, but allowed it to be presented the formal way which is why Hermione is in a meeting with them now.

A little while later the boys are playing with some toys in my old room, and I'm in the study looking over some of the deeds to our properties in other countries. It's been a while since I took a vacation, and I'm thinking of taking one with Scorp and Hermione soon. I look up as the door open to see Hermione looking at me with a beautiful smile gracing her features. She runs into my arms and we snog for a good fifteen minutes as she thanks me over and over again for setting this up and making one of her dreams come true. I take it the meeting went well then. I know this school idea of hers will go off without a hitch because of mother's background and social standing in society. She's both a Black and a Malfoy, from two of the oldest and most well known rich pureblooded families in wizarding history, and if mother supports something then all other pureblooded families will follow like sheep. I tell her she deserves it and so much more as I bask in the feeling of her in my arms. I've never in my life been this happy.

The next few weeks Hermione, mother, Andromeda, and Kingsley work diligently to procure an area for the school to be built, set up press conferences to let the world know of what is to take place and encourage them to send their kids there, and begin contacting constructers, architects, and designers to make blueprint plans and begin construction. Potter throws in his support to encourage half bloods to accept the idea as well, and states at one press conference that he will be sending James and all his future children to this school and me saying Scorpious will definitely be attending. Everything is going smoothly, but there's still one problem. I talk about it with Potter a few days later.

"Come in, I'm just looking over the notes on some cases that have been reported" he tells me after I knock on his door.

"Anything serious?" I ask.

He takes off his glasses and rubs his face. "One of the chasers for the Chudley Cannons disappeared without a trace a few days ago. I thought maybe he was just out on a vacation or something at first. He's a pretty big partier, but the coach and his teammates say he's never missed a practice and is always prepared for games. So for him to just randomly not show up creates a lot of suspicion. Also recently, there have been a few women that disappeared and no one knows where they could be. It's like they vanished into thin air. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I have this gut feeling that somehow all these cases are related."

I think about what he says. "You mean you think it's one or multiple kidnappers working together taking all these people? None of them have anything in common except for the fact that they've all mysteriously disappeared. How can you be sure that they all tie into each other?"

He sighs. "I can't. But I also can't shake this feeling and my instincts have been right before. However, to solve these cases I can't just rely on feelings I get. I have to consider it from all angles." I nod and we contemplate about them for a few minutes. "Did you need something?" he asks after a period of silence.

"I don't know what else to do about Hermione" I confess. He waves his hand motioning for me to elaborate. "Everything between us is going great and I love her, even though I haven't said it yet, but I'm not entirely sure she trusts me still. I've tried showing her how much I care for her by giving her gifts, using my influence to get her project started, allowing her to pretty much take over the mothering role in my son's life, and even saying in conversations that she can tell me anything and everything. But she still hasn't said anything about past relationships and who hurt her. What am I doing wrong?"

He thinks about what I've said, then speaks. "You're not doing anything wrong mate, believe me. I don't think the problem is that she doesn't trust you; I think the problem is that she's scared of how this will affect your relationship. After she told Ginny and I about it, I haven't heard her mention it ever again. She needs to tell you, and I'll try and talk to her to get her to open up more."

I nod and we converse for a few more minutes before I decide to let him get back to work. My cases are finished for the day, even though it's only one, so I decide to floo home and see Scorpious. It hasn't been just the two of us in a while, so I take full advantage of this opportunity.

He comes down from his nap about thirty minutes after I come home, and we play outside with his pygmy puff Tobias. It's an easy creature to look after since it doesn't require much, but has gotten into this habit of nestling itself in the pockets of your trousers or shirts. Anytime people come over now, they have to empty their pockets before they leave to make sure the green ball of fluff hasn't settled in there. Scorp freaked out once after Blaise came for a visit and we couldn't find it. A few minutes later Blaise felt it stirring around in his front pants pocket, and we learned of its new favorite hiding spots. Scorp has so much energy and is really quite fast for a three year old. He definitely keeps me in shape. A little while later we head inside for a snack.

"Daddy?" he asks around a mouthful of oranges.

"Yes buddy?" I say giving him my full attention.

He swallows and then looks me in the eye. "Can Mione be my mommy now?"

I pause as I consider what he's asking. I wanted him to have a mother and had already agreed with Potter, Blaise, and my own mother that Hermione was perfect for that role. I mean she practically is one without the official title.

"You and Mione kiss and hold hands like James' mommy does to Uncle Harry" he continues. "And she reads me stories, and plays with me, and tucks me in like his mommy does. And she even tells me she loves me! She does everything she's supposed to, so can she be my mommy?"

She does do all those things for him, and so much more. I know it's only been a short period of time, but maybe it's time to make our family official. My side of the family already loves her and thinks of her as one of us. I'd taken Scorp to meet her parents after they moved back last week, and we all got along great. I've already told my friends and mother and Andromeda that I was in love with her, so it was only right that we make this family that we've formed complete.

"You know buddy, maybe she can be. We'll have to wait a little while, but that sounds like a good idea" I say kissing the top of his head. He smiles and we continue eating our snack.

I realize I want this with Hermione just as much as he does. But in order for this to work, we have to know everything about each other. I'm starting to get a little impatient, and decide that I'm just going to have to sit her down and outright ask about what happened to her. Whatever it was, it definitely affected her confidence in herself even though she's still a strong woman. I'll do my best to build her back up, but I need to know exactly what kind of damage was inflicted. I have to know- no scratch that, I _need _to know, otherwise this won't work out. And I need this to work out because I'm completely head over heels in love with her.

**AN: I haven't read the Harry Potter books in a while, but I don't ever recall there being mentions of what magical kids do before they go off to Hogwarts. I remember how I used to think it was unfair how muggle born kids didn't know anything about the magical world until they were practically preteens, and by then it would have been really hard to fit in at school because they don't know anything about their abilities. So that's how I got the idea for Hermione to want to start a school for young witches and wizards. I hope that part made sense. Ok, I promise that Ron will be making a further appearance and Hermione will tell Draco. I had to set up this chapter so that when they do find out it makes more sense, and I can proceed with portraying Ron in the way I want him to go. I know this chapter probably seemed like it had a lot of useless facts in it, but I put everything here for a reason, so pay attention to even the smallest details. It'll make more sense at the climax of the story. As always I appreciate your feedback!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing.**

**AN: I was reading your reviews on the last chapter and I went back and read over it and realized I made a mistake. I meant to say the keeper from the Chudley Cannons went missing, not the chaser. There will be some violence in this chapter and a lemon at the end.**

**Hermione Pov:**

After dressing warmly for the harsh February winds, I pull my hair back into a low ponytail and tug on some boots. I'm flooing over to Draco's house in a few minutes, and then we're going to meet the Potters, Blaise, Bill, Fleur, and their children for a quidditch match. This game is between the Falmouth Falcons and the Chudley Cannons. Scorpious has been looking forward to it all week and it'll be nice to take a break from all the work going into pulling the school off.

When I found out that it was Narcissa and Andromeda that wanted to fund my project, I was grateful, but thought they were only doing it because I'm Draco's girlfriend. However, at the meeting they seemed genuinely enthralled by this plan and I realized that they supported my reasons one hundred percent.

"There's no room in our world for prejudice anymore" Narcissa told me a few weeks ago. "Hopefully with all the children coming together and forming friendships, it will inspire the community to do so and no one will care about blood status anymore."

We'd found some properties for sale in Wiltshire of all places, and have proceeded with the construction. It will be a huge school, though not quite as large as Hogwarts, and will take a little while to complete. It will allow children to start once they reach the age of five, and begin their education until they're ready to head off to one of the boarding wizarding schools. If everything goes smoothly, the school should be completed and ready to open in about a year and a half.

When at our meeting with the board of education, they decided that they felt anyone under the age of eleven wasn't ready for a wand. That part will still have to wait until they go to their secondary schools. But they'll teach children more basic magical things such as how to do measurements for potions, a little bit of astrology, basic history of magic, and dabble briefly in non verbal spells. This might make classes at Hogwarts a little easier for some, and I can't help but think how if we'd had a school like this poor Neville wouldn't have suffered so much with Snape.

There won't be houses to be sorted into since the children will only be there seven hours a day, five days a week. This was my idea as a way to promote unity. We'll also do our best to make sure the classes are filled equally with purebloods, half bloods, and muggleborns. Scorpious said he wanted there to be a quidditch and baseball team as well, and I think we may be able to have a sports department included. I'm glad he took to the muggle sport of baseball, and would like to integrate muggle things into the school to make children who are entering the wizarding world for the first time feel more at ease.

I put on a light coat of makeup and am ready to go. Since I won't be home for pretty much the entire day, I take down my wards and opt to just lock up the muggle way. The past few weeks I've been feeling the wards shift quite a bit, but there's never anything there when I come to check. Nothing has really happened though, so I don't pay much mind to it. I grab my purse, step into the fireplace, and floo over to Draco's.

Immediately when I step out of the floo, Tobias zooms over my head and lands on my shoulder. It's his nesting place on me if he can't get into one of my pockets. He nuzzles my neck affectionately, and I pet him a few times.

"Mione!" I hear from the top of the stairs and turn around to see Scorp flying down towards me. I crouch down and he flings himself in my arms and latches around my neck.

"Hey little man, are you excited for today?" I ask after he's done squeezing me.

He nods viciously. "I'm ready for the game! James and I want the Falmouth Falcons to win, and daddy says if I'm really good, I can spend the night with James when it's over!"

"That'll be so much fun" I tell him trying to match his enthusiasm. He has to be the happiest child I've ever met. I don't think there's anything that can get him down and it still baffles me that Astoria completely gave him up for money. Though if I'm being completely honest, I'm selfishly also glad she did because now I can have him and Draco all to myself.

Arms wrap around my waist from behind me and a kiss is pressed against my cheek. "Hey love, ready to go" Draco asks. Scorpious and I both answer yes, and after we put Tobias back in his cage, we apparate to the quidditch field where the game will commence in about fifteen minutes.

We greet Blaise who tells us everyone else is already up in the private box. I'm actually Draco decided to purchase the ridiculously expensive box a few months ago, because it beats having to sit out in these furiously whipping winds. I feel sorry for the players who will have to be flying against them.

We climb the many stairs and once we reach it, Draco sets Scorp down who immediately runs over to James and begins talking excitedly about the game. Victoire and Dominique are standing close to their mother and Aunt Gabrielle. I noticed that when we walked in, she gave Blaise a scornful look, and he in turn scowled. But looking over at him now, I see that he can't seem to take his eyes off her. If she happened to look his way, he quickly averted his gaze as though too shy to meet hers. Was there something there? I knew Blaise was a player and not the commitment type, but maybe that's just because that's all he's ever known. His mother was married seven times for Merlin's sake. Maybe he didn't know how to be any other way except the heartless playboy. While I'm sure Gabrielle's reaction to his ways shocked him, maybe it also intrigued him. She was different than all the other women he met and might be just what he needs.

"You should go over and try to start up a civil conversation with her" I whisper to him.

He looks down at me with wide eyes. "What! Why would I do that? It's not like I want to talk to her after her rudeness from the last time we met."

I roll my eyes but ignore the urge to point out that he deserved it for his crude innuendo. "Look, Gabrielle has been brought up with class and is a lady. She'll enjoy pleasant conversation and politeness rather than someone trying to get her on her back. Just respect her and show her that you can be a gentleman, and she'll warm up to you" I say.

He thinks about it for a minute. "Do you think she'd give me another chance?"

"I'm sure she would if you start off your conversation with an apology and keep the conversation topic away from anything sexual" I tell him with a smile. He returns it and makes his way over to the seat next to her. At first she's visibly mad and tense when he begins talking to her, but after a few minutes, she relaxes around him and even laughs at something he says.

I take my seat between Draco and Ginny, and Draco puts his arm around me. "What did you say to Blaise?" he asks in my ear.

I turn to face him and shrug. "Nothing much. Just gave him a few tips on how not to get slapped again."

He smiles at me and gives me a quick peck, then leans back to watch the game. Every once in a while we'll all cheer when the Falcons score, or have to break up fights between the children. Lunch is brought to us by the stadium owner as a thank you for purchasing the box, and afterwards Scorpious crawls up in Draco's lap and falls asleep. James does the same in Harry's, but the game still has a long way to go.

"The new keeper for the Chudley Cannons is a bloody idiot" Ginny comments to me while rubbing her swollen six months pregnant belly. "He's practically letting the other team make the goals. The sooner they find their original player, the better."

The case of the missing Chudley Cannons player hit the newspapers this week and has been the center of most of the gossip. Harry openly stated that his aurors were doing their best to locate him as well as several other women who have gone missing, but they aren't finding any leads. There hasn't been any proof that any of them were taken by violence and force, but the longer they're missing, the more severe the case looks. I hope Harry's able to find them all safe and alive, although the chances of that are rather slim.

Finally as night is beginning to fall, the seeker for the Falmouth Falcons catches the snitch and the game is over. Nearly everyone in our box cheers and the boys are ecstatic. I look over at Blaise and Gabrielle to see that they're so wrapped up in whatever they're talking about, they haven't even noticed the game is over. Draco, who noticed as well, catches my eye and gives me a smirk. This is a new concept for someone like Blaise, but he seems to be enjoying himself.

Ginny and Harry leave first, taking both boys with them. Draco is in a conversation with Fleur and Bill, and I tell him I'm just going to run to the bathroom before we leave. He'd said yesterday that he wanted to talk to me about something, and I have no idea what it is but he sounded rather serious. I'm a little nervous about it, and am trying to prolong it a little more.

I walk down the hall with my thought wrapped around what he could possibly want to talk about, but then feel the hairs on the back of my neck standing up and get the creepy feeling of being watched again. I look around the dimly lit hallway, but don't see anything. I mentally scold myself for being so jittery. This hallway spreads out against about eight private boxes, including Draco's, and only people that own them have access to it and the private bathrooms. There's nothing dangerous here. Still the uneasy feeling doesn't go away. I speed up my pace and finally reach the ladies room.

I look at myself in the mirror and see that I look a little pale. I've got to loosen up, I'm acting like a scared little kid, not the brave Gryffindor I'm supposed to be. _Come on Mione, get it together_ I mentally chide myself as I lean my face over the sink and splash some cool water on it. I let the water dribble down, then use my sleeves to wipe the excess wetness from my face. Letting out a deep breath, I raise my head back up to the mirror…and scream bloody murder. Ron Weasley is standing directly behind me.

Quick as a flash he grabs me around the waist and slams me against the wall. The force knocks the air from my lungs and he covers my mouth with one hand while pinning my wrists above my head with the other. My heart is pounding furiously and I'm terrified. Why didn't I ask Fleur or Gabrielle to come with me? Why did I have to come by myself?

"_You fucking whore!_" he hisses at me in a low voice. His face is inches from mine and I can smell the liquor on his breath. His eyes are wild as they glare into my own. "You filthy little tramp! What the fuck are you thinking, spreading your cunt for that ferret?! Looking for your next rich boy toy? Still the same gold digging skank you always were, huh?"

I whimper in fear. My wand is tucked into my boot and I honestly don't know how I'm going to get out of this one.

"I own you, you little bitch! How dare you leave me for Draco _fucking _Malfoy! He doesn't want you! You're an ugly little slut! No one wants you, you useless little whore!" he spits in my face.

I bite his hand and he lets out a yelp of pain. I push against his shoulders to try and get free, but he's much bigger than me and doesn't even budge. He pulls his fist back and hits me across the cheek. I cry out as my head turns with the blow and I know a bruise will be forming shortly.

"You still insist on doing things the hard way! I've had enough! You will show me respect damnit!" he roars. "Thought you could hide behind your rich new boyfriend? Thought Harry could keep me away? You're probably fucking him on the side too aren't you? Shouldn't surprise me, since you've been screwing him behind my back ever since you were left alone in that tent for a few weeks. No more though. You're coming with me now! We're going back to where all your treachery started, and no one's going to get in the way this time!"

I kick out and continue struggling, and he steps back but grabs my shoulders forcefully and slams my back into the wall repeatedly. Through the pain and panic I notice that he's left a little bit of space in between us. I know I'll only have one shot at this, so I can't mess up. I bring my left leg up swiftly and kick him as hard as I can right in the crotch. He immediately lets go to hold himself and falls over howling in pain. I waste no time in throwing open the bathroom door and running as fast as I can down the hallway.

I'm on the same adrenaline rush I was on the day I left him and I'm not sure if he's recovered and chasing me, or if he's still crouched in the fetal position on the floor. The only thought in my mind right now is getting to Draco. I feel the absolute safest when I'm with him and if I can just reach him, it'll all be over.

The door to our private box is right in front of me, and I bust through it. Everyone besides Draco and Blaise has already left, but I don't notice. Draco had his back to me and jumped when the door slammed open. As he begins to turn around he says, "Hermione, I was fixing to come check-" he completely stops midsentence when he sees me and I throw my arms around his neck and bury my face in his chest.

"Hermione! What happened! What's wrong?" he rushes. Blaise has the same bewildered look on his face as I try to tell them what happened through my shock.

"He…attacked…still in…restroom" I manage to get out. They still don't understand, but they managed to get the gist of what I've said. Blaise pulls his wand out and goes out the door looking for an intruder and presumably to check the bathroom. Draco holds me and rubs my back soothingly trying to get me to come out of my shock. "Shh love, it's okay. I've got you, I won't let anything happen to you." He says softly in my ear.

A minute later, Blaise comes back into the room. "There's no one out there. I've checked all the rooms and bathrooms. Whoever it was is gone." I pull back to look at him, but Draco grabs my chin and forces my head back to him. He looks down at my face and curses. "Hermione, who did that to you?!" There must be a bruise on my cheek just as I'd assumed. I can't hide this from them anymore. I thought he had just made an empty threat that day, but clearly Ron meant what he said. I should have said something to the others rather than just trying to handle it myself. Now they have to know, but I need to do it in one setting.

"Get Harry. Tell him to come to my flat" I tell him and Blaise.

Draco looks down at me with wide eyes. "Hermione, you need to tell-"

"I promise I'll explain everything! But I have to tell you both! Please Draco, take me home and get Harry. He needs to know too."

For a moment he looks like he may argue more, but he finally relents and tells Blaise to get him and meet me at my flat. Blaise disappears with a pop and Draco apparates the both of us to my front yard. He's still holding my hand as I walk up the concrete steps and with trembling fingers, fish my keys out of my purse and unlock the front door.

When I finally manage to get it unlocked, I push the door open, step into my flat and flip on the lights…and gasp. My entire apartment has been trashed. My furniture has been blown to smithereens, pictures and books torn and scattered all over the floor, the window in the kitchen has been smashed, and the words 'mudblood' and 'whore' have been burned into the walls.

Draco takes out his wand and scans my entire flat to make sure no one else is still here. He comes back after a minute and pulls me into his arms. I don't cry, I'm in too much of a daze from what happened earlier and the fact that he discovered where I lived. I knew I shouldn't have taken down those wards.

Harry and Blaise arrive moments later and are shocked to find the condition of my apartment. My kitchen table is still fairly intact, and the four of us sit around it. I'm glad Scorpious is over at James' house. I can't imagine how scared he would be if he came back with us.

"It was him wasn't it Mione?" Harry asks getting right to the point.

I shakily nod my head. I still can't believe after all this time, he's still fixated on the idea that he owns me. Now he's become crazy and obsessed.

"You have to tell us what happened" Harry encourages.

I know I do. He's incredibly dangerous and he'll never leave me alone if I don't get the others in on it.

"I-I went t-to use the loo right after you left-t. I was completely by myself and he a-attacked me. H-he kept calling me horrible names and s-screaming that I was his. He said something about coming away with him to the place my treachery started and that no one would get in the way this time. I don't know what he meant" I stammer out.

"Who? Who did this to you Hermione? Who is after you" Draco asks from beside me. I can see that he's mad by the look on his face. This is going to completely ruin our relationship. I never should have gotten so involved with him and his son, having had a past like mine. I think my heart is breaking.

"Tell him Hermione" Harry says sternly, and I look over at him. "He has a right to know. Tell him now, or I will." I can't avoid it anymore.

"My ex…Ron" I say quietly. Blaise raises his eyebrows in shock, and Draco's jaw tenses and a thin line forms on his mouth.

"Is this the first time he's come after you since you've been back? Has there been anything suspicious you've noticed" Harry asks.

I sigh. "He confronted me in the streets of Diagon Alley a week or so before the Halloween Ball. He said he was waiting for me to come back to him and learn my place. He was mad when I told him I'd never go back to him and threatened that I would and wouldn't leave him again. I sometimes feel like I'm being watched whenever I'm out and I think I've seen him a few times from outside a shop or restaurant window. And I kept feeling shifts on my wards, but anytime I investigated, there was never anything there." Now I know that it was Ron testing the wards to try and get to me. I don't know how he found out where I live, but now I know he's been stalking me for months.

There's a silence for all of about ten seconds before Harry finally breaks it. "Why didn't you tell me Hermione?! Why didn't you tell anyone?! Do you realize what could have happened if you didn't get away?"

"But I did, Harry! I-"

"You got away this time! You got away last time! But how long before your luck runs out? Next time you may not be so lucky! He's dangerous, just look at what he did to your cheek! How can we protect you if you don't tell us what's happening?!" he yells.

I sit quietly while he rants for a few more minutes. He's right, I should have told them about our confrontation that day. I could have gotten a restraining order or something against him and perhaps with Harry and the other aurors watching my back, it wouldn't have gotten this far.

Harry sighs and quiets down after a little while. "You can't be by yourself anymore. At least not until we catch him. We need to find a new place to put you, somewhere heavily guarded-"

"She'll stay with me" Draco says firmly from beside me. I turn shocked eyes to him. He hasn't said a word after I answered his question and he still won't look at me. I can tell he's very much upset, so why is he offering to let me live with him?

"I have powerful wards around my home and no one I don't recognize can get in through the floo or past a certain point on my property. It's one of the safest places she can stay" he continues.

Harry nods and says, "We'll station at least two aurors around the perimeter as an extra precaution. It's best to head on over there now."

Twenty minutes later, I've salvaged what few clothes weren't destroyed and a few of my toiletries, and find myself in Draco's home. Tilly makes up the guest bedroom for me and after a quick bath, I put on my night clothes. Draco hasn't said a word to me since we left and I decide that we need to talk.

I come into his room and see him staring directly into his fireplace with a glass of firewhiskey in hand. He seems to be deep in thought. I come up behind him and clear my throat to make him aware of my presence. He whips around and gazes fiercely into my eyes. I gulp.

"Draco, I think we should-"

"Sit" he commands. Our talk is definitely going to be on his terms. I do as he says and seat myself on the long couch in front of the fireplace. Draco comes around and sits down on the coffee table directly in front of me so that we're now at eye level.

"I tried to wait for you to tell me on your own time" he begins. "I'm not waiting anymore. I want to know everything. Tell me what happened between you and the Weasel."

"I…I don't know…where to begin" I say after a moment.

"At the beginning" he says.

I take a deep breath, and finally tell him my story. I tell him things that even Harry and Ginny didn't know, such as how Ron's verbal abuse technically started back in our school years and how I always forgave him no matter what. I tell him all about being confined to that godforsaken apartment and Ron not letting me find my parents or working, and how the abuse started. Then I talk about how I discovered his lying and cheating ways and how he would never change, and also about what he tried to do the day I left. I go into a little more detail about what all transpired tonight and how I've felt his presence around my flat all these months.

After I finally finish, he speaks. "Why didn't you tell me any of this before? Why try and hide it?"

I can feel the tears forming in my eyes, but no matter how much I try to blink them back I can't stop them. "I thought at first that if you knew about my past, you wouldn't want to be with me. And I thought that I could handle myself and didn't want to make anyone worry for me. When we became more serious, I was afraid that if I told you, you'd take Scorpious and leave and…I- I just…I didn't want to lose either of you because I've fallen in love with you." As soon as the words are out, my eyes widen. I didn't mean to tell him that last part. Now it's just going to make the breakup that much harder.

He looks surprised by my confession, and then his gaze softens. "Hermione, I-"

I shake my head. I can't do this to him and Scorpious. "No Draco, you don't need to involve yourself with this anymore. I don't want Ron to come after you or Scorpious because of me. I can't let anything happen to either of you. In the morning I'll go and find a more permanent place to stay."

A shocked look crosses his features, and then anger returns. "Do you honestly think I'm going to let you go now? You think that my feelings have changed just because that ginger fucker can't accept the fact that you're too good for him? You're the best thing that ever happened to me and my son, and I told you you're mine! Merlin Hermione, how can you not see it? I love you too!"

I can't believe the words that just came out of his mouth. He…he loves me? "But…why?" I say aloud.

"What do you mean why?" he asks harshly.

"Why do you love me? I'm unattractive and nothing special. How can you love me?" How can he? He's Draco Malfoy! Women want to be with him and men want to be him. What does he possibly see in me?

"You don't think you're beautiful" he asks quietly while looking intently at me. I don't answer him and silently let the tears stream down my face. Of course I don't! Ron made sure I never forgot it.

Suddenly, I find myself being lifted up by my arms and Draco's lips crashing down onto mine. His kiss is so intense and fiery and I open my mouth in a gasp at the sheer shock of it all. He immediately plunges his tongue into my mouth dominates it. After a few seconds, I begin to respond back to his movements, and put my arms around his neck. He lifts me off my feet, and I have no choice but to wrap my legs around his waist. Without breaking the kiss, he carries me over and gently lays me in the middle of his giant king size bed.

He settles his body over mine, then pulls back to look me in the eyes with his still intense gaze. "Forget everything that arsehole ever said to you" he says sternly. "Erase any negative thought he ever put inside your brilliant mind. You are beautiful Hermione. You are the most beautiful and incredible woman I've ever laid eyes on. You're everything I've ever wanted, and I'm so in love with you." Tears still stream down my face from his words, but for a different reason. No one has ever said that to me before. I feel so loved and cherished.

He kisses me again, but begins to move his hands up and down my body. After a few minutes, he begins massaging my breasts through my thin night shirt and trails kisses from my lips to my jaw and down to my neck. With every kiss, he murmurs a soft "beautiful." Pulling back to sit on his haunches, he quickly removes his shirt and pants, then pulls me up to a sitting position and removes my shirt.

My top is completely bare and open to his gaze. I haven't been with any man like this except for Ron, and I so want to please Draco. A little shy under his vision, I move my hands to cover myself but he catches my wrists and pins them to my side after pushing me back down. "Don't hide. You are gorgeous" he says and brings his head down to engulf one of my breasts. He suckles intensely and flicks the nipple with his tongue, and I cry out from the pleasure and sensations he's stirring within me. After he's satisfied with the attention he lavishes on one, he moves to the other and repeats his actions. The ache between my thighs is becoming too much, and I rub myself against him wantonly.

He moves to trail kisses down my stomach, over my hips, all the while still murmuring "beautiful." Hooking his thumbs in the waistband of my shorts and knickers, he swiftly pulls them down and off. I'm completely nude before him and he looks at my body as though he's memorizing every dip and curve. His eyes travel back up to meet mine before giving me a sensual smirk and lowering his head between my thighs.

I arch myself halfway off the bed as I feel his tongue give one hard long lick up my slit and flick my clit. I've never had anyone do that and the sensation is driving me wild. My folds are practically dripping in arousal as he goes back and forth between circling my nub and tonguing my inner walls. Pressure starts to build within my abdomen and when he begins pumping one, then two fingers inside of me I know I won't last long. It's been far too long since I've indulged in this kind of pleasure. He works furiously and I'm almost there, just a bit more…

Right as I'm about to fall over the edge, he pulls his fingers out and stands up to his full height. I let out a frustrated cry and look up to see why he stopped, only to find that he's dropped his boxers and is stroking his cock. Oh wow, he's big! I'm not sure if he'll fit. Slowly he begins to rub it against my womanhood, spreading my juices and his precome. All I can think about right now is how bad I want him inside of me.

"Say it Hermione" he says meeting my eyes again. "I want to hear you say it."

He must know he's torturing me! Why is he dragging this out? "Draco…please…_please"_

He inserts the tip in just barely, but refuses to move another inch. "Say it Hermione" he repeats.

I need him so badly right now and I know what he wants me to say. "I,,,I'm beautiful! I-OH!"

He finally pushes all the way in and my muscles stretch to accommodate his large size. It's a pleasure pain, but it's so delicious. My whole body is on fire and we both grunt at the feeling of completeness.

"Fuck!" he swears. "You're so tight!" He hasn't moved yet to allow me time to adjust, but his body is quivering with the effort of his restraint. Finally after another minute, I roll my hips as a sign for him to move. He immediately pulls out almost all the way, then thrusts back in.

We move slowly at first and it's beautiful. I can feel every part of him as he enters me again and again, and he finds that sweet spot inside of me that makes me cry out. Every time his hips surge forward, I raise mine to meet him. Soon our pace becomes faster and he's slamming into me over and over again, and I can't think straight with all the sensations overwhelming my mind and body . I'm so close, and I know this orgasm will be powerful.

"Oh oh Draco! Don't stop! Oh! Yes, harder, yes, yes, yes, DRAAACOOO!" He finally pushes me over the edge when he pinches my clit between his forefinger and thumb. I've never come so hard in my life and I see stars in my vision.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, HERMIONE!" he grunts as with two more thrusts his own orgasm is triggered and he spills his hot seed inside me. He collapses on the bed beside me and we both pant harshly, sweaty and exhausted. Once we've both relatively calmed down, he pulls me into his arms and situates the covers over our naked bodies. This was one of the most glorious experiences of my life and I want to do it with him over and over again. Once I'm able to move my limbs again that is.

He kisses my forehead and whispers, "I love you Hermione and I'll always protect you. You are beautiful. Never forget that."

I snuggle in closer to him and smile. He loves me! He really loves me! As long as he's by my side, I can take on anything.

**AN: Ok…I'm very anxious to hear your thoughts on this chapter. I know it's super long. I originally had another scene in it, but it was very gory and most of you would have probably found it a little disturbing, so I cut it out and saved about a page. Maybe I'll put it in another chapter further in the story. Also, writing sex scenes is not a strong point of mine. I hope it was good. Until next time!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing.**

**AN: You guys are seriously awesome! Your reviews mean so much to me and I'm so glad you liked the last chapter! It was difficult to write and I was very nervous about it, but by your responses it looks like it worked out okay. A tiny bit of gore in this chapter, but not much.**

**Draco Pov:**

Two months. It's been two months since Hermione was attacked by the fucking weasel at the quidditch game, and still he hasn't been found. Harry and Blaise have been doing the best they can with trying to track him down, but demands of their missing person's cases haven't left much time for them to look. According to the public, finding out who took and murdered these people is much more important than trying to hunt down a bloody lunatic (Though no one but me, Hermione, and a large majority of the aurors know we're trying to locate Ron Weasley) and they demand Potter and the law department to solve this mystery. I do want to know what happened to these people, but damnit I want to know where that sorry piece of shit is even more so I can give him what's coming to him.

A few days after the game, the Chudley Cannons chaser was found. Well, what was left of his body that is. His remains had been left in the middle of the quidditch field that the Cannons use to practice on, and they all received the shock of their lives when they came in that day. Potter and his team were immediately called in and his body was so badly mutilated it took a little while for them to confirm it was indeed him. Upon further examination, it was discovered that he had been tortured mercilessly and vicious dark spells used on him. It was a brutal way to die.

Over the next few weeks, one by one the women that were reported missing turned up as well. Though not as severely as the quidditch player, they were still dead after evidence of having been tortured. Many of these women were nothing more than prostitutes. A few were just random girls with nothing in common. However, because of the way they each died, Potter's suspicions were confirmed regarding their killer. It was the same person or people. No one knows why or what their motive could possibly be, but whoever they are they're sick and need to be caught as soon as possible.

I feel bad for Potter actually. He was criticized in an article by Skeeter for not being able to solve this case yet and stop the madman. I'd like to see her try rather than throw her opinion around and try to ruin people's reputations. He's got the public breathing down his back about stopping these crimes, doing his best to track down Weaslebee in between, and will have another kid in a few weeks time. The demands of being the chosen one seem to never end. He's doing the best he can, and after the quidditch game he gave Hermione and I these magic galleons. They explained that they used these back in fifth year to communicate with each other about meetings and such for Dumbledore's Army and how to work them. The only problem is there's only so much you can fit on a tiny coin. Still it's one more thing to ensure Hermione's safety incase the bloody tosser tries something again.

When she finally told me what he did to her, I was stunned. I couldn't believe he had such cruelty in him. From being around the Weasley's excessively over the past few years, I'm shocked that such a worthless and utter prat came from such a loving family. To hurt someone as kind, compassionate, and incredible as Hermione, you have to be fucking deranged. Not just physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. He had her believing for years that she was ugly and worthless. I make sure every day I remind her just how beautiful and magnificent she is. I've made a lot of progress, but it will take more than two months to reverse several years' worth of damage he caused. Just thinking about it makes me furious and when they finally do catch him, I'm going to kick his arse.

But on the upside, these past two months have been spent with Hermione in my home permanently, and in my bed. I'm the luckiest man in the world to get to wake up with her in my arms every single day. Not to mention the sex is bloody fantastic. Every time I'm with her, it's like I'm a raging hormonal teenager again. I can't get enough of the Gryffindor Goddess and we can usually go several times in one night. We've also had to put up a permanent silencing charm around our room because once we were nearly caught by Scorp. He came in thinking we were hurt because of all the bumping and moaning. Talk about embarrassing.

He's also been just as happy as me about Hermione living with us. He didn't ask questions when he came back from Potter's and we told him she would be staying with us that next day. He simply cheered and threw his arms around her neck, then said he would share his room with her. We both laughed and I think he was a little mad at me when I said she would be sharing _my _room. But having her with him and getting to spend as much time with her as is possible is enough for him and I'm so glad this entire relationship has been an easy thing for him to adjust to.

A few days ago, I was reading him a story while Hermione was taking a bath. We switch off every other night with story time, but both kiss him goodnight before we go to bed ourselves. Midway through the book he stopped me to ask a question.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Scorp?" I asked putting the book down.

"Is Mione my mommy yet?" he asked looking up at me with his big grey eyes.

This was tricky. How do you explain our situation to a three year old? I knew one day I was going to have to tell him the story of why he didn't have a mother like other kids. I'd always pushed the thought away and tried not to dwell on it until either the time came or he asked me. Who wants to tell their child that one of their parents completely gave them up and wanted nothing to do with them?

But then Hermione came along and made our broken family whole. Though both Scorp and I already consider her his mother, nothing has been made official yet. We're not married, she has no legal ties to him, and he even still calls her Mione.

"Well…you see…not exactly…" I stammered trying to find the words.

His face fell and his eyes began to fill with tears. "But daddy, I really want her to be" he said through his sniffles.

I pulled him into a hug and rubbed his back. "Don't cry Scorp, I know you do. I want her to be too. We just have to wait."

"How much longer do we have to wait" he questioned pulling his head from my side.

"I'm not sure. It takes a long time" I answered.

"It's already been a long time" he huffed. "She lives with us. And she loves us and we love her too. She acts just like James' mommy! Why do we have to keep waiting?"

I thought about what he was saying. He had a point. We were all living under the same roof, I loved her and she loved me, and most importantly she loved and treated Scorpious as her own. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. So what was stopping us? The only possible problem I could think of was that Weasley was still on the loose, but I refused to let him get in the way of our happiness.

"You're right buddy" I told him after a minute. "But do you think you can wait for just a little while longer?" He crossed his arms and opened his mouth to protest, but I quickly said, "Just a little while longer. I promise very soon we'll make Mione your mommy. But we have to keep it a secret between you and me. We can't tell her anything yet."

His eyes widened. "You mean like a surprise?" he whispered dramatically.

I smiled. "Yes, like a surprise." Later that night after thoroughly making love to her, a plan began to form in my mind. The next day I went to talk to Potter and Blaise and told them all about it. They backed me a hundred percent and Potter said he'd send some aurors on ahead for when we got there. We're still very adamant about having her guarded at all times, and even have someone stationed right outside her office door every day.

At lunch I told her I had something to take care of and wouldn't be able to eat with her like usual. Instead, I flooed over to the Manor and filled mother in on what I was planning to do. She let out a very high pitched shriek of joy, and hugged me with a strength I didn't know she possessed. Clearly she was all for it. She gave me the key to the gringotts account that has all the Malfoy family jewels and I searched around for a while before I found exactly what I was looking for. When we came home that night, I told her I had to run a quick errand and would be back later. She looked confused, but I just kissed her and said not to worry, I'd explain later. I apparated to her parent's house and talked with them for over an hour. At the end of our talk, her father shook my hand and her mother wrapped me in a hug with tears shining in her eyes. They were really great people and will make a wonderful set of grandparents for Scorp.

Lastly, I went and talked to Kingsley and asked for a few days off for both Hermione and I. I filled him in as well and he approved immediately as well as wishing me the best of luck. Now I'm standing in my office finishing up work for the day before our vacation officially starts tonight. Hermione still has no idea about anything that's going to happen, and I told Tilly to pack a suitcase for me, Scorp, and her while we were at work, then take him on over to the villa we own in Italy. I'm anxious and nervous because I want everything to go perfectly. This is technically the first time I've ever done this.

"Mr. Malfoy? Someone left this memo for you on my desk" says a secretary walking over and handing me an envelope. I thank her and she leaves while I open it. Once I read it, my blood runs cold and anger courses through my veins.

_Stay the fuck away from her ferret. You'll regret it if you don't_

That fucktard! My first thought is to incinerate it, but I need to show this to Potter. Sweet Salazar, did this mean he was in the building? Oh no, Hermione! I bolt from my office, and take the lift down to her department. People give me strange looks as I rush past them, but I have to know she's okay. Did no one see him come in? Potter told Kingsley about what happened at the quidditch team and he sent out a message to everyone that if they happened to know where he was, alert the aurors immediately, though he didn't go into detail about why. How did he get into the ministry? I swear to Merlin, if he harmed even one hair on her head, I'll fucking kill him with my bare hands…

She's not in her office and not in the loo either. I can't even find her guard. Shit! No, no, no this is not happening! Oh hell, where-

"Looking for Granger, Malfoy" a voice calls behind me and I whip around to see Dean Thomas. He works in the same department with her and was one of the few decent guys when she first came back. I don't know him that well, but Hermione likes him and they sometimes work on the same international cases.

"Yes, have you seen her" I ask him hurriedly.

"She just went to her meeting a few minutes ago. The board of education is discussing something with her. They're down on the fifth floor in the small meeting room" he informs me. if I wasn't in such a bloody hurry, I may have hugged him. I throw a quick thanks over my shoulder and head that way. I have to make sure she's alright. I have to see for myself.

Luckily, the door is partially open and I can see into it without having to barge in like a madman. She's sitting with her back to me, and her guard is leaning against the back wall with his arms crossed. I hear somebody say something about hiring professors, but I'm not really paying attention. Relief floods through me as I see that she's fine.

I head down to Potter's office then and grab Blaise along the way who had come looking for me. He said that Potter wanted to see me and he was just coming to get me before I ran like a bat out of hell according to my secretary. Once I reach his office, he gives me a questioning look, but I just give him the note. He reads it then sighs and shows me two different memos on his desk.

_Stay away from her or you'll regret it._

_ You can't keep her from me. I own her._

"I received the first note last night when I came home from work. It was sitting underneath my doorway. The second one was brought to me moments ago by a secretary. She said it had just been left on her desk and she had no idea who put it there" Potter tells me.

"The same thing with mine" I say. "When I read it I thought maybe he'd gotten in and went after her. I had to make sure she was safe."

Potter nods. "I sent a patronus after I got the second one to Kingsley and he told me he was just fixing to get her for a meeting. I sent two junior aurors down just as an extra precaution. My men are searching the entire ministry, but I don't think he's here and I certainly don't know how he got these notes to us without anyone noticing."

The entire situation is strange. How did Weasley get these too us undetected? He must have been disguised somehow…

"As soon as Mione comes out of her meeting, I'll have to inform her" Potter states.

"No, don't!" I say quickly.

Potter looks at me with his eyebrows raised. "Malfoy, I know you want to protect her, but I can't keep this-"

"I'm not saying we don't tell her" I quickly amend. "I'm saying we don't tell her yet. Let me have tonight and proceed with my plan. If we tell her, it will only affect things negatively. I promise I'll tell her before we come back."

Potter thinks about it for a moment. "You're still going to do it, even after his threats?"

I scoff at him. "Of course I am! I love her, and this doesn't change anything. Besides, this is exactly what he wants and I'll be damned if my life and decisions are based on his terms!" I'm not scared of the weasel. He's not taking my happiness from me and my son and he sure as hell isn't taking Hermione from me.

He agrees after insisting on sending a few more aurors ahead of us. I've got powerful wards all over the villa, but I don't mind these extra safety measures. A few hours later, the work day is finished and I'm just waiting on Hermione to finish up with some meetings. By the time she's done, it's around five and I'm very jittery. Would she think it's too soon? It's been about seven months, but I'm positive this is what I want. I hope she feels the same.

"Hey, ready to go?" she asks coming up beside me by the floo network. I kiss her and nod, taking her hand and leading her to the fireplace. Once inside, I call out the address to the villa and we emerge in the formal living room.

"Draco, where are we? Why aren't we at home?" she asks after dusting ashes from herself.

"We're in Italy at one of our villas, and we're taking a mini vacation for the rest of the week" I tell her taking her hand and leading her upstairs. I can see her starting to ask questions so I say, "We both have the rest of the week off and will be returning on Sunday. Our friends and families know where we are, and Scorpious is already here waiting."

As soon as I tell her that, we've ended up out on one of the balconies where a table has been set up, and delicious Italian food waiting. Scorpious is out playing with some toys and dressed in nice slacks and a small button up shirt with Tilly watching him closely. When he sees us, he runs over and embraces Hermione first, and then me.

"Is it time yet, daddy?" he whispers in my ear when I lift him up.

"Not yet buddy, you'll know when. It'll be just like we planned" I whisper back. For three days, I've practiced this scene with him in his room when Hermione was busy. He's as desperate and anxious as me, but also excited for his role in tonight.

"Oh Draco, this is so wonderful" Hermione breathes looking over everything. "Did you do all this?"

I smirked at her. "I may have had some help and suggestions from friends and family."

"I helped too, Mione!" Scorp says proudly, puffing his chest out. She kisses his cheek, and then we seat ourselves around the table for dinner. We look very domesticated, and it's the same way we've been doing things for months now, but this time it's also very different. Every once in a while, I'll thumb over the velvet case in my pocket as I try to keep the conversation up with her, but she's mostly conversing with Scorp. She goes into a little bit more detail about her meeting today, and how they've decided to add a new department to the ministry focusing on training professors for the new school. There was already a program that professors for Hogwarts had to go through, but you can't train these teachers the same as you do for teachers of teenagers. Finally we finish our meal and Hermione looks at me with questioning eyes.

"Draco. I'm flattered by all of this, and it's so romantic. But what brought this on? Why are we randomly taking a vacation in the middle of the week?"

This is it. It actually worked out pretty smoothly, seeing as she's just presented me with the opportunity to go about this. I stand up from the table and take her hand, bringing her to right in the middle of the balcony. From here the sun is setting over the vast fields and gardens, and everything is painted in a golden hue. She looks at me with a questioning look still on her face, but then her eyes widen as I drop down to one knee. Scorpious comes over and plants himself right on top of my raised knee with a huge smile on his face, as I remove the velvet box from my pocket trousers and open it to her. Inside is a gold goblin made ring with a square cut emerald in the middle, and diamond circling it.

"This ring belonged to my great grandmother. She'd met my great grandfather at Hogwarts, and fell in love with him over the course of their schooling years, though they didn't get along at first. They were perfect for each other and remained happily married for sixty seven years." Her hands come up to cover her mouth and her eyes fill with tears. I hope this is a good thing and continue.

"Hermione, I know we never got along much in school. It was my own stupidity and bigotry that kept me from seeing how amazing you are, but I thank the deities every day for bringing you back into my life and for allowing me the privilege of calling you mine. You're everything I could ever want, and so much more. I don't deserve you, but I promise I'll spend the rest of my life proving over and over again how much I love you and reminding you of how beautiful you are if you'll let me. Scorpious and I were lost until you became a part of our lives, and now I'd like to make it official. I've gotten permission from your parents, and the support from all of our friends. All I need is one word from you. Will you, Hermione Jean Granger, give me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"And will you be my mommy?" Scorpious asks, looking up at her with hopeful eyes.

A few tears leak out of her eyes, and she slowly removes her hands and takes a shaky breath. Then, a dazzling smile takes over her features as she looks down at the both of us. "Yes. I'd love to" she whispers with so much emotion in her voice.

Scorpious jumps off my knee and cheers, while I slip the ring on her finger and stand up to kiss her. Later that night after we've put Scorp to bed, we break in the master bedroom by shagging all over the place including the bed, up against the wall, over a couch, and finally in the large square tub in the middle of the bathroom. We tell each other over and over again how much we love each other and afterwards, I tell her I want to make her Scorp's legal mother and we agree that once we get back, we'll start the paperwork

We spend the next few days shopping and visiting landmarks all over the country. Scorp and she had never been to Italy, and I mentally make a note that I want to travel with my family all over the world. The night before we leave, I hold her in my arms and tell her about the threatening notes we got from the weasel. As I expected, she becomes increasingly worried, but then asks if I'm sure I want to marry her with him still out there. I kiss her thoroughly and tell her I've never been more sure of anything in my life, and that he will never change the way I feel about her. Just to make sure she understands the depth of my feelings, I make love to her for over an hour and am finally able to convince her.

We return that Sunday, and I take her to the Potters where everyone, my mother and her parents included, are waiting for us. She shows them the ring and loud cheers are given all around. The women flock around her and fuss about wedding plans and dates, and I enjoy a drink with the men as they all congratulate me. I didn't think I would ever go through this again, but with Hermione I find myself enjoying all the chaos that follows with planning a wedding.

News gets out once we return to work that we're engaged, and somehow it even slips to the daily prophet and other top newspapers. My guess is that Pansy let it slip; the girl never could keep a secret. At first Hermione is worried that Ron will find out, but I remind her how heavily guarded she is and how impossible it would be for him to try and get to her. Though I will admit I would feel better if he was caught and put away before the wedding takes place. Not that it will stop it from happening anyway.

A new era is descending on the Malfoy family, and for once we seem to be on the right path. Things with the school are coming along beautifully, and we've gotten so much support from the community. Lots of children will be attending once it's finally finished. We've set up a team at the ministry that has started venturing out into the muggle world and approaching the parents of magical children once they reach the age of three. After explaining about our world and ways, they inform them of the school and try to convince them to send their children there until they're ready for Hogwarts. Surprisingly, many parents accept it after seeing what all it has to offer, and how their child will find a place to be accepted in a world that understands them. Scorpious has started calling Hermione 'mommy' now, even though the paperwork will take a few months before it all becomes official. Life is moving along perfectly, but I can't stop this strange feeling that something bad is about to happen…

**AN: Yay! They're engaged! I wonder how Ron's going to take it…dun dun dun! So I've decided that I will be wrapping this story up very shortly. Just a few more chapters, then it's over. I've pretty much got everything planned now, I just have to figure out how to fit a few more pieces together. Thanks again for all of your support!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing.**

**AN: Violence and disturbing things in this chapter. Warning you now.**

**Hermione Pov:**

This chair is uncomfortable, the smell in the air nauseating, but none of that matters right now and nothing will bring down my excitement. It may be minutes, it may be longer hours, but at some point today, I'm going to meet my and Draco's new godson. Ginny went into labor at about seven this morning, and it's now two. Hopefully he will be making his entrance into the world very shortly.

Currently I'm sitting next to Draco with Molly and Arthur sitting across from us in the waiting room of St. Mungos. Molly and Arthur know about what happened at the quidditch game and were so ashamed. I want them to know that I don't blame them in any way and we don't bring it up when around each other. I'll always love them no matter what. Bill and Fleur had been here earlier for a couple hours as well as James and Scorpious, but the children got bored quickly and we couldn't expect them to stay here all day, so they took all the kids back to their house and said if the baby was born today they'd bring them back. Andromeda, Narcissa, and Teddy also made an appearance, but left a few minutes ago. Blaise came by around noon, but when he found out Gabrielle was back at Fleur's, he decided to go back with them to 'help watch the brats.' We all know he wants to be near Gabrielle, and the two have formed a tentative friendship, though she's still a little weary around him.

Draco sighs for about the hundredth time today and leans his head back against the wall. I place my hand in his and intertwine our fingers, and he in turn squeezes my hand. My ring catches one of the lights from above and it shimmers and shines beautifully. Draco watches the colors dance around then gives me a smile. We've been engaged for two weeks, and I absolutely cannot wait to be his wife, nor for Scorp to officially be mine. When everyone found out, we immediately began to plan the wedding and I must say that Narcissa truly has a gift for throwing celebrations. She's taking care of everything and has even done her best to include my mother in the planning.

The elevators open, and George comes into the waiting area and takes the seat next to Draco after saying hello to everyone. He closed the shop up a little early today so that he could be here for his little sister.

"How's it going mate?" Draco asks.

"Could be better" George says running a hand through his hair.

"What do you mean?" I say looking over at him.

"The strangest things have been happening lately" George says turning to the both of us. "Three days ago when Angelina and I came home from our day at the shop, we noticed our wards had been tampered with. Thinking someone had broken in we rushed into the house, but everything was fine and nothing seemed to be missing. It disturbed me, but since nothing was damaged or taken I didn't see the point in alerting the aurors. They've got enough on their plates as it is." I understood what he was saying, but this wards being messed with was something I was all too familiar with. I hope nothing is wrong.

"Then yesterday I got this document sent to me at the shop" he continues. "It said there was a problem from when I signed the contract buying the building all those years ago, and if I didn't get it straightened out, I would no longer hold ownership over the shop. It said it was in one of the clauses, but I read over that contract thoroughly before we signed it. I don't recall there ever being any mention of such a thing. I don't know what I'm going to do" he sighs tiredly.

"Do you still have a copy of the contract you signed?" Draco questions.

George nods. Of course, I keep it in the vault in the back room. I've looked over it and can't find this supposed error."

"I can come by sometime and check it out" Draco offers. "I've dealt with a lot of cases of faulty contracts. There's always a loophole somewhere. I can read over it for you to make sure, and represent you if this gets dragged out legally."

A goofy grin spreads out on George's face. "Oh Drakey-poo, I'm flattered!"

I laugh and he shudders from the nickname Pansy told us she gave him back in school. "Keep it up Weasley, and I'll falsely incriminate you."

An hour later, Harry comes into the room telling us that baby Albus Severus Potter has arrived. Molly and Arthur go back to see him first and I send one of the hospital owls out to everyone letting them know he's here. Draco and I go back next to see Ginny sitting up in the bed looking exhausted, but cradling her new little bundle of joy close.

Carefully, I take him from her arms and hold him close. He looks a lot like James, but he has Ginny's nose and lips. He's so adorable. He cracks his eyes open and squints at me, and I notice that they're the same bright shade of green as his father, brother, and paternal grandmother. He stares up at me curiously and I coo softly at him.

Draco comes to stand beside me and congratulates Ginny and Harry on their newest arrival. I transfer Albus over to him, and he tenses up as though afraid to drop him. He stands very still and rigid, but after a moment of the both of them staring at each other he relaxes and says how much it reminds him of holding Scorp as a newborn. He rocks him gently and the scene melts my heart.

"This will be you one day" Ginny whispers as I sit in the chair next to her bed. I share a smile with her, and can't help but think of how it will be one day if Draco and I stand here staring lovingly at a new child.

A week and a half later, I'm standing in my office looking over a case with Dean Thomas. I've been so caught up in the baby fever, and we spent the entire weekend over at Harry and Ginny's place as well as her family. James and Scorpious are fascinated by baby Albus. In fact, Draco and I sent Scorpious over to Andromeda's today who's taking him and Teddy to visit and help Ginny out. He was so excited to get to 'take care of Albie.'

Harry and Blaise are still caught up on this missing person's case. They've reviewed files of people who have gone missing over the past few years and concluded that this person or people have been kidnapping has been doing so for years. However, some of these women have been missing for as long as three years, and their bodies haven't turned up like those who have most recently disappeared and been murdered. A family came in at the beginning of this week looking for their daughter, the secretary of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. At first Harry was confused because they said she'd been missing for almost a month. But she hasn't shown up for work at all this week, and no one has seen her. It looks like she has fallen into the same trap as those other poor women, but I don't understand how her family hadn't seen her in almost four weeks, yet she's been at work every day except the past three.

Poor Harry has been on overload this week. When he came into his office today, he got a report saying that George's shop had been broken into last night and he and Blaise went to investigate. George told him over the weekend about how he thinks someone may have tried to break into his home a couple weeks ago, but there wasn't anything for Harry to do since nothing was stolen or damaged. George seems to have been having a rough week too, with the wards broken at his home, the document saying he could lose ownership of his shop, and now his shop being broken into. Draco decided to go on with Harry and Blaise and take a look at the contract while they investigate. That's where they all currently are now.

"You don't seem like you're really here today" Dean comments and I realize I've zoned out as he's been stating the facts.

"Oh, I'm sorry Dean. I've just got a million things going on in my mind right now" I tell him apologetically.

"Thinking about the missing secretary?" I nod and so does he. "Yeah, I think it's pretty strange. I mean, she's been here all these years, hardly ever missing a day and then suddenly she just vanishes without an owl or note letting anyone know where she is."

I furrow my brows. "You noticed that she never misses a day? I didn't think you really interacted with her since she's not in our department and you've never really been friends."

A blush forms on his cheeks, which is hard to do considering how dark his skin is. "Ah…well you see…we weren't friendly per ce…but we were very…ahm…_familiar_ with each other…" he trails off not meeting my gaze. What does he me-oh! I get it. Well even if Dean is a decent guy and one of the few who didn't try to get into my knickers, he's still a man and that secretary was one of the more…_willing_ young ladies.

There's an awkward silence for about thirty seconds before I clear my throat and say we should continue looking over our file. We make notes and plans to set up meetings for about twenty minutes, before I hear someone shouting outside my door. I go to open it and find George yelling at my guard that he needs to get in and see me.

"She knows me, I have to tell her something important!" he yells at him. I don't think I've ever seen George get so angry.

"Sorry boss' orders. No one gets in to see her that we don't know." The guard says sternly back to him.

"No, it's okay he can see me. I know him well" I tell the guard, then turn to George. "What are you doing here? I thought you were reviewing your contract at the shop with Draco. Did Harry and Blaise figure out who broke in last night?"

` "Hermione, you have to go to leave work now. Scorpious has been hurt! He's at Draco's place, it doesn't look good."

_Oh no, Scorpious! What's happened?!_ I think to myself horrified. Attacked? By who?

"Go on ahead, Hermione" Dean tells me, who's heard everything from inside my office. "I've got everything here. Do what you need to."

"There's guards at my home, and I'm sure Harry and Blaise are there by now" I tell the guard who nods, and I begin racing down the hallway to the floo network. My mind is racing, but I can't think straight. Scorpious was hurt? How and why? How badly? What was he doing at home rather than at St. Mungos? Maybe that's a good sign, but George said it didn't look good. And why did Draco and Harry send George to tell me? Wouldn't it have been better to send Blaise who knew the guard?

"Hermione, wait up" George yells running behind me. We reach the floo network and he jumps in with me. I grab his elbow so Draco's wards will let him through. We are engulfed in the green flames, and finally come out in the living room. I look around and don't see anyone, but realize they may all be upstairs in Scorp's room. I zoom upstairs calling their names frantically, but no one is answering me. I charge into his room to find that no one's there.

How strange…it looks just the way we left it this morning, and there's no sign of anyone being here. Tobias has been left out of his cage, which Scorp always has a hard time remembering to put him in anyway, and comes over to sit on my shoulder before burrowing himself in my front pocket. I come out of his room and down the hallway into our room. I step inside and still no one is here. This is all making me uneasy. Something is very wrong. What is going on?

I catch movement out of the corner of my eye and see George standing in the doorway looking strangely at me. He's got his wand out and it's pointed at my chest. What is he doing?

"George, what's going on" I ask tremulously.

He begins to cackle, but keeps his wand trained on me. Suddenly, his face and skin starts bubbling and looks as though it's melting away. I've seen this before and have experienced it myself. It's a result of changing back through polyjuice potion after it's worn off. I gasp, cursing my own stupidity for not seeing the strangeness of this situation before, but it's too late. George has morphed into Ron, and he's still got his wand trained on me and cackling.

"Gotcha Herms" he says as though he's just told the punch line to a joke.

"Help!" I scream loudly hoping the guards can hear me from outside.

"Scream all you want, there's no one here to help you" he says. There's a glimmer in his eyes and smug satisfaction on his face. He's enjoying this. "Let's just say your two body guards are napping on the job. Napping permanently that is."

My mouth opens in horror. They were dead? No, no they can't be dead. Ron's many terrible things but he's not a killer…right? He has a maniacal look on his face as he takes a threatening step towards me. I have to get out of here.

I make a move to grab my wand, but he's quicker. "Expelliarmus!" My wand flies from my pocket and into his hand. "Stupefy" he shouts as the spell hits me in the center of my chest. As I fall to the ground, I hear him say, "Told you you'd never leave me" before my world completely succumbs to darkness.

Several hours later, I awaken with a pounding in my head and my limbs sore and achy from being in the same position for too long. I blink until my vision focuses, and groggily sit up. Looking around I see that I'm in a tent with a few lanterns around as my only source of light. It looks just like the tent we stayed in when we were hunting horcruxes. Where am I? As I get my bearings back together, all the memories from earlier fly back to me. It really happened! Ron managed to trick me into being alone with him, and has taken me. I've got to get out of here and back to Draco and Harry. But where exactly am I?

I'm not chained or tied up, and the tent opening is right in front of me. Ron is nowhere in sight and I don't know where he is or when he'll be back, but I'm not staying to find out. As quietly as I can I leave the tent and step outside. I'm in a forest. Is this…why would I be here? I sneak around and get about thirty feet away from the tent before I hit some sort of barrier that forces me back. Looks like there are wards all around the area. I reach into my pocket to grab my wand, only to realize it's not there. Of course, he took it right before he knocked me out! Can this situation get any worse?

"Trying to leave again Herms? How many times do I have to tell you you won't ever leave me again?" Apparently it can. I turn around to see Ron just as he emerges from behind the tent with a look of amusement on his face. His hands are covered in dirt and it looks like he's been digging or something.

"Where are we Ron?" I ask trying to keep my fear from my voice. If I show him I'm not scared of him anymore, maybe he'll back off.

"You don't recognize it? It's where you first betrayed me. Well, the first time you betrayed me with Harry that is. Who knows what you were doing before that with Krum, McLaggen, and Merlin knows who else" he says viciously coming dangerously closer to me.

It clicks in my mind, and I remember the galleon in my pocket. I grab it and think "FOD" and watch it transfer to the coin. Before I can get a reply, Ron grabs my wrist, and takes the galleon, then throws it somewhere behind him. I hope they've gotten the message.

"What's that, your allowance from your new boyfriend? Or fiancé now isn't it? Yes, I read all about it in the papers" he sneers squeezing my wrist. I manage to wrench it out of his grip, and back up as he still advances towards me. There's nowhere to go and I find myself backing slowly into the tent. "I have to say, I was very surprised when I read the story and saw the pictures. How in the world did you manage to convince the ferret to set up house and propose to you? You're nothing but an ugly mudblood whore. But then again, you've always been a manipulative and cunning little bitch, haven't you?"

This is the first time he's ever called me a mudblood, unless you count that time he burned it into my walls. "You won't get away with this Ron. Draco and Harry will come looking for me, and they'll find you. You'll be sent to Azkaban this time" I say as I've come into the tent and have nowhere else to go.

"They won't find us here. No one will find us here. I've been coming back now for three years, and no one has ever found any of us" he says in a false sweet tone.

"What do you mean 'any of us'" I ask confused. He's talking in riddles and not making sense at all.

"Everyone who betrayed me" he tells me with a smug smile on his face. "All those women thought they could leave me, or ruin my reputation. Said they didn't like it when I put them in their place, or punished them. Some even threatened to alert the aurors or go to the public. Couldn't have that now could I? I had to take care of them. Make sure they kept their filthy mouths shut. None of them had any idea what was coming to them. Then there was the whole fiasco with the Chudley Cannons team. They had the nerve to think they could get rid of me? Thought they could just replace me? No one just gets rid of me. Took forever to get the keeper out away from all those witnesses, but I got the brilliant idea to change my gender and lured him away one night at a party. Oh, he was scared! It was so much fun watching him writhe around in pain as I crucioed him over and over again. Tortured him into madness, I did. Killing him was my favorite part though" he rambles with a faraway look in his eyes. He's getting sick pleasure from this.

I process everything he's telling me, and then it all makes sense. I gasp as it dawns on me exactly what he's saying.

"Y-you? It was you?! All those innocent women and that quidditch player?" I ask horrified.

He laughs softly. "I wouldn't say innocent. They all tried talking back to me, or ran around behind my back. I tried taking the whores and prostitutes in and giving them a purpose. None of them could respect or please me. They had to pay the ultimate price. I only recently got the idea to give their bodies back. Send a warning that I was coming after all of the ones that wronged me."

"Where are the others? What have you done with their bodies?" I demanded.

"I told you! There here! They aren't leaving me anymore, and they finally learned their place! They're _beneath_ me!" he says voice rising in anger.

He's crazy. Literally, Ron has lost his mind. He's a sadistic killer who enjoys watching other people in pain and killing them. He's manifested from an abusive drunk into a heartless monster.

"Of course, there was always that one that got away. She ran off and left me after betraying me with my so called best friend" he says glaring down at me.

"You made me leave" I tell him trying so hard to be brave. "I never cheated on you with Harry. Never! You were the one who cheated, and you hurt me every day for years!"

His fist connects with my face, and I fall to the ground. He stands over me, then grabs my hair and yanks it back. "You _still_ haven't learned to respect your superiors whore!" he says. "I gave you your chance to come back and start over with me, but you refused. You shouldn't have done that Herms. Now you're going to join the rest of them." I try to twist out of his grasp again, but he smacks me again, this time right over my eye.

"You brought this on yourself." He says menacingly. "And you've brought it on that fucker's kid too. Just so you know, he's next."

"_YOU SICK BASTARD!"_ I scream at him. "YOU STAY AWAY FROM HIM! YOU PERVERTED MONSTER!" He better not harm one hair on Scorpious' head.

He hits my face again, then grabs my arms and hoists me up violently. Shaking me forcefully he says, "You did this Herms! This is all your fault! No one makes a fool out of me, you hear me?! NO ONE!"

Tears stream out of my eyes and I realize that I am in fact going to die tonight, after he roughs me up. I'll probably be tortured too, but I don't care about me. All I can think about is Draco and Scorpious. I pray to whatever deities or spirits are out there to protect them.

As Ron continues hitting or shaking me, one thought comes to the front of my mind. Harry was right. My luck finally ran out.

**AN: Okay now we've reached the dramatic climax. I'll elaborate a little bit more over what all has happened to the women that went missing over the next two chapters. **


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing.**

**AN: Haha, oh my goodness, your reviews! I think I managed to make you guys hate me for that cliff hanger. I'm sorry, but to make it up to you I think you'll really like this chapter. More violence and disturbingness ahead.**

**Draco Pov:**

I'm reading over this contract for the third time, and still I don't see any error or clause about the ownership of the joke shop. Everything was signed over to Fred and George, and even with Fred no longer here, it's all in George's name. He showed me the document he received and although it seems to have come from the ministry, what it's stating is completely false. Who sent this, and what do they care about a random joke shop in Diagon Alley? Odd.

Even more odd is that Potter and Blaise have been here for a few hours, and can't seem to find anything wrong with the shop. The front window was busted and there's glass all over the floor, but there are no footprints or DNA anywhere, and more importantly nothing is missing. It doesn't even look like they tried to find the safe or money. Either this is someone's terrible idea of a practical joke, or they are genuinely trying to scare George.

"Found anything wrong yet?" he asks coming over to the table I'm sitting at.

I shake my head. "No, everything is in order and there's no question about the shop ownership. Have they figured anything out yet?"

George shakes his head. "Nope, just a busted window, but other than that the shop is just the way I left it yesterday." Potter and Blaise come over then and stand next to us. There are dark circles under Potter's eyes and I can tell he's exhausted. He's got a newborn at home plus a hyper three year old, the pressures of being Head Auror, the public demanding he solve these cases, and now having to deal with this on top of also still being on the lookout for Weasley. If we get through this, I'm seriously considering giving him and Ginny one of the villas. The guy definitely needs a break.

"Well, like I said everything checks out with the shop according to this contract" I tell him standing up. "Just to be on the safe side, I'm going to head back to the ministry and look at the contract on their records as well as try to figure out who sent this inaccurate document to you. There shouldn't be anything to worry about and I'll owl you when I've got everything straightened out."

He thanks me and the others and we use his fireplace to floo back to the ministry. This has been a very odd afternoon. Once we arrive, Potter asks if we'd fancy going down to the cafeteria for a coffee. We both agree and the three of us head down that way discussing the absurdity of the situation with George.

As we enter the cafeteria, I notice that the auror who usually stands outside Hermione's door is down here with a few other aurors. Is Hermione here as well? I look around but don't see her. Funny, I don't remember her saying anything about a meeting or going somewhere. Maybe he's just on break and she's with another auror.

"Hey, I think I'm gonna take this coffee to go and check up on Hermione" I tell Potter and Blaise.

"Actually, I'll do that too. She wanted to know what happened at George's anyway, although there's nothing to report" Potter says.

We grab our cups and head up to her floor. When we reach it we see that there is no guard outside her door, and she's not in her office. Blaise says she may be in the loo, but what I can't seem to understand is why there aren't any guards around.

"Malfoy! What are you doing here? How's Scorpious?" I turn around to see Dean approaching me. What is he talking about?

"Umm…he's fine I guess" I say giving him a confused look while he returns it. "Have you seen Hermione?"

Dean's eyebrows furrow even more. "Isn't she supposed to be with you? George came up to get her just like you asked."

"Dean, what are you talking about?" Potter asks. "We've been over at George's shop for the past few hours. He hasn't been here at all." This conversation is seriously confusing me.

"Harry, he came up here an hour ago shouting that Hermione needed to get home" Dean says giving the both of us an exasperated look. Turning to me he said, "He told her that you sent for her to get there because Scorpious had been hurt. She told the guard there were more at home and took off for the floo with him behind her. What's going on? Why isn't she here with you?"

He's not making any sense. Hermione thought Scorp was hurt, and that we sent George after her? Did she get some kind of false memo…memo… I think back to the day Potter and I got those threatening memos from the weasel and- OH NO!

My eyes widen as I realize something is very wrong, and Potter seems to catch on quick. Someone gave Hermione false information and an imposter must have been in the ministry disguised as George. I turn on my heel and race down to the floo network with Potter and Blaise right behind me. I jump into the fireplace and shout out my address and appear in my living room seconds later.

"Hermione? HERMIONE!?" I call frantically running through the entire downstairs area and up to our rooms. She's not here. She's not at the ministry, and she's not here! Oh sweet Merlin please no! She was so heavily guarded, how could she possibly have-

"Malfoy! Get down here quick!" I hear Potter shout up to me in a worried voice. I follow it down to my front door which is open and come outside. The two aurors that usually guard my home are both dead. There's only a surprised look on each of their features, so it must have been the killing curse. This had to have been the weasel. How did he get into my home? More importantly where is he and what has he done with Hermione?

Potter turns to the both of us. "I know this is Ron. I don't know how he got past the wards or where he is, but we will find him and her" he says mimicking my exact thoughts. "Blaise, go back to the ministry. File a missing person's report on Hermione and alert Kingsley immediately. I want a message out as quickly as possible for people to be on the lookout for her and Ron. I also want to know places he frequents and where he lives and works. Malfoy, we need to get your son and family to safety before we begin searching for her. You never know if Ron may come after them next. Is there any place you can think of that we can send them?

I nod. "I'll send them to the villa in Italy. It's only accessible to a Malfoy or someone holding on to one."

He nods and sends Blaise off, then accompanies me to Andromeda's. At first Scorp is excited to see me, but I tell him I have to send him somewhere and that we don't have much time. Mother is already over here, and we quickly pack a small bag for the boys then send all of them to the villa. Once we get them there we floo back to the ministry to see what Blaise has found. Every minute is precious and we can't afford to waste any. The sun is already beginning to set. I have to get her back as soon as possible.

Blaise has wasted no time in filing the report and sending the message out to everyone at the ministry as well as getting it to the papers. Soon, the entire wizarding world will know to be looking for Hermione. We go to Potter's office where Blaise gives him a file on Weasley. Looking over it we see that he's been at various different jobs since he was fired from the Chudley Cannons. His most recent one has been as a metal charmer in a sports shop that sells quaffles, bludgers, and snitches. This is also the shop where most quidditch teams in Britain buy their equipment. According to this paper, he just randomly quit a month ago. There's also a newspaper article where a young woman allegedly accused him of violating her and saying she was going to press charges. Strangely, she dropped the case a few weeks later, saying she made the whole thing up. On one of the pieces, we're able to find an address. Potter and I decide to head to it, and Blaise takes a team to go question his former bosses and anyone who may have been in close contact with him.

We apparate to the address and come upon a rundown looking apartment. There is a horrible smell coming from somewhere inside it, but it reaches us even from outside. It's powerful enough to make me gag. Putting my nose in my shirt I come to the door, realize it's locked, but charm it open with a simple alohamora. I flick on the lights and shriek, jumping back a step.

We're inside what I think is a living room and I've figured out what that horrible smell is. There's a decaying corpse lying across one of the couches. From the looks of it, it's a woman. Potter comes in, swears, and pulls out his wand to examine her. Turning to me he says, "She was tortured and killed. I think this is the secretary that's been missing."

Weasley killed the secretary? I knew he was an abusive git, but he's a murderer as well? And to torture before killing her, that seems like the way all of these women have been turning up…

"Malfoy…look" Potter says in a choked gasp, eyes widening behind his glasses as he stares at something behind me. I turn around and see an archway leading into what looks like the dining room. This apartment is absolutely filthy, and there are empty alcohol bottles, rats, maggots, and roaches everywhere. But through the archway, there's a wall that looks to have several newspaper clippings and articles on it. There are words burned in near the pictures, reminding me of the way we found Hermione's apartment after the quidditch game.  
I step over the filth and grime, and into the room, where I can see things more clearly. The first few newspapers and clippings are of the Chudley Cannons team. There are pictures of the coaches and each member of the team. The articles talk about different things such as "**Chudley Cannons Beater Mysteriously Attacked at Meet and Greet"** or **"Chudley Cannons Coach Rushed to St. Mungos After Inhaling Poisonous Fumes."**

"I remember that case" Potter says coming up beside me. "The coach had received a gift, and when he opened it poisonous gas leaked out and nearly suffocated him. He was lucky to be alive. We never could figure out where the gift came from or who sent it." Underneath the pictures the words 'betrayed' and 'must pay' were burned into the wall.

Moving down the line, there are mostly pictures of women. My eyes widen as I begin to recognize them. They're all pictures of the women that have been reported missing. It starts with the ones that have been gone the longest, and then proceeds to those that have just been gone recently and their bodies turned up. One of them is the newspaper article we found in Weasley's file of the woman who was going to press charges. Underneath the clipping and her picture were the words 'whore' and 'lying bitch.' More vulgar language and pictures spread out across this wall as Potter and I slowly reach the same conclusion.

Weasley…he's the kidnapper…the one who's been torturing and killing all these people…Weasley is a psychotic serial killer…

We continue to look through the apartment and come up to a door near the end of a hallway. Potter pushes it open and we both step inside to what we discover is a bedroom. But what we find in there is even more disturbing than the wall in the dining room. On the wall opposite of his bed, there are hundreds of pictures and a few very recent newspaper clippings hanging up and they all pertain to or depict one woman.

Hermione.

The pictures date all the way back to her school years. Several of them are of her, weasel, and Potter. However, Potter's face has been burned out or completely cut from the pictures. 'Mudblood', 'Whore', and 'Slut' are a few of the words burned into the wall around her, but there's also phrases such as 'I own you' and 'Won't leave me again.' The newspaper articles are all stories about her since she's been back in England. Everything from her arrival, to her stories about the school project, and even pictures that were taken of us and Scorpious when we were out. Most of these pictures have us burned through. However, one picture towards the end catches my attention. It's a simple picture from an article showing me, Hermione, and Scorpious out and about in Diagon Alley, but I'm almost completely burned out from the picture and Scorpious has been circled. Underneath this picture it says, 'Kill Him.'

Rage courses through me. I need to find this sick twisted bastard now. No one messes with a Malfoy and those they love. I look over at Harry to see he's standing at a desk holding up a newspaper. I come up beside him and look over his shoulder to read it.

**'Famous War Hero Ron Weasley Fired from Chudley Cannons for Public Intoxication, Reckless Behavior, and Failure to Show Up to Practices!' **It goes on to show Weasley feeling up two obvious hookers in an alley, and smashing a bottle on the sidewalk, obviously drunk. Checking the date, I see that this came out almost five years ago.

"This is the newspaper she saw the day she left Ron" Potter says without looking at me. "She found it while she went out to look for apartments. Both of the women in these photos have been missing for years." He puts the paper down and shakes his head. "I…I can't believe it…I knew he wasn't the same kid from Hogwarts…but I never knew he could become so…evil."

"No one saw this coming. Not from Weaslebee" I say. "But now we know. We have to find him pronto. The longer he's out there, the more lives are in danger, including Hermione. We have to find her."

I feel something heat up in my pocket and judging by the look on Potter's face, he does too. I reach into it and pull out the galleon the three of us have. It's from Hermione! The letters "FOD" appear on it. 'FOD?' What the hell does that mean? Damnit, why didn't we decide to carry around a charmed piece of parchment instead of a stupid tiny gold coin?!

"Do you know what this means" I ask looking up at Potter.

He furrows his brows then shakes his head. "No, I have no idea."

"Think! It has to be where he's keeping her!" I say frantically. "Come on Potter, you were best friends with him for eight years! If anyone can figure this out, it's you!"

He stands silently thinking for a few seconds before his eyes narrow in anger and he throws the coin across the room. "DAMNIT!" He roars, fisting his hands through his hair and pulling at it. It looks like all the pressures have finally gotten to him and he's cracking. "HOW THE HELL DID I LET THIS HAPPEN?! WHY DIDN'T I PRESS CHARGES AGAINST HIM THE DAY SHE CAME TO ME BRUISED AND BEATEN?! WHAT KIND OF FRIEND AM I? I'VE DONE A SHITTY JOB OF PROTECTING HER! I'M THE BLOODY HEAD AUROR, THIS IS MY FUCKING JOB! I SWEAR TO MERLIN IF I FIND THAT SORRY PIECE OF SHIT, I'LL KILL HIM WITH MY BARE HANDS!"

I feel his rage, I honestly do. Nothing sounds better than pounding the deranged weasel's ugly face in. But we can't focus on that right now. We have to have clear heads and figure out where she is.

"Potter, calm down this isn't your fault. She asked you not to, and you listened. She would have been upset if you went against her wishes" I say trying to reason with him.

"Yeah, but she'd still be here and not in danger if I did" he hisses back, though he's stopped yelling.

I sigh. "That's the problem with her. She tries to see the good in everybody, even when it's not there. Even though in this particular case it's put her in danger, it's one of the reasons we both love her. We _will _find her. And we'll give that bloody fucker what's coming to him" I say determinedly.

Potter takes a few deep breaths, then loosens the tension from his shoulders. "You're right. We will find her. I just wish things hadn't gotten this far. I should have never let him come back after he left us in the forest…"

_ Forest…forest…she and Potter were staying in the Forest of Dean…Forest of Dean…FOD!_

"Potter that's it! That's where they are!" I cry out and he looks up at me with confusion in his face. I huff annoyed at his slowness. How is it he managed to defeat Voldemort again? Oh yeah that's right, he had Hermione. Without her we'd all have surely been dead if we had to rely solely on him. "FOD stands for Forest of Dean. Don't you remember what he told her when he attacked her in the loo at the game? 'I'm taking you back to the place your treachery started.' Didn't he think you and her had some love affair after he left?"

He finally catches on. "Merlin's testicles, you're right! Why would he want to go back there though? Doesn't matter, we have to leave now." We form a plan and he decides to go back to the ministry and put a team together, then come after them. He tried to get me to come along, but I tell him I'm going on ahead to try and get to her first. We have no idea what he could be doing to her and every minute is precious. He argued at first saying that was too dangerous for me to go alone, but finally agreed when I told him he couldn't stop me and he was wasting time.

I apparate to the edge of the forest, then pull my wand out. "Point me" I say, and it immediately points straight. I continue to follow it as it twists left and right on many different paths. It leads me to about the middle of the forest and stops abruptly once I reach a clearing. Looking around, there's nothing here but my wand has stopped moving indicating this is where I'm supposed to be. What the hell?

Just as I'm beginning to get frustrated, I catch a whiff of something. Vanilla…that's Hermione's perfume! She's close! I take a few steps forward and come in contact with a barrier. They are here, the weasel just put up wards to further hide them. There's no time to discreetly take these down, so I begin hurriedly tearing at them. I knew how to break wards rather effectively; I'd done it so many times in my teenage years when sneaking in and out of the manor. Finally, I take them all down and see a tent a few feet in front of me.

With my wand out in front of me, I descend towards it knowing Potter and the aurors won't be far behind. All is silent which greatly worries me. I hope I'm not too late. It's dark inside the tent as I whisper out "Hermione?" I can't even see my hand in front of my face.

"Lumos" I whisper once I'm fully inside. Light appears at the end of my wand and I turn slowly in a circle, before I see them behind me.

"Expelliarmus!" Weasel cries. My wand flies out of my hand and he catches it after shoving Hermione roughly to the ground, away from him. Lanterns around the tent fill with light with a simple wave of his wand and I realize that he was waiting for me. He heard and felt me taking down the wards. I look down at Hermione and feel my heart clench at the sight of her. She has a black eye and several bruises on her face and arms, and her lip is busted and bleeding. Tears are streaming down her face as she looks up at me, but at least she's alive. I make a move to go to her, but weasel has his wand trained at my chest and tells me "Don't move."

He breaks my wand in front of me, the whole time keeping his pointed in my direction. We're completely defenseless against him. Potter, hurry up! Where are you?

"How touching ferret. Come to save your little mudblood slut? Too bad she won't be making it out of here, and neither will you" he says.

"Why are you doing this?" I ask. "Why have you tortured and murdered all of those people? Look at what you've become!"

His face turns up into an ugly sneer. "They betrayed me! The Cannons thought they could just replace me, but it was an _honor_ to have me on their team! My spot could not be filled by just anyone! And the coach thought he could just get away with getting rid of me? He'd have been dead and out of the way had he inhaled just a little bit more of the present I sent him! As long as he was still there, I couldn't take my spot back. Then he had the nerve to actually hire someone else! Well naturally, he had to be eliminated too. Then all those sluts and whores couldn't shut their filthy mouths. They actually think they could be an equal to men. Ha! A woman's job is to cook, clean, and take care of a man! They will never be on the same level as us. It's a lesson they all have to be taught. One this one here couldn't ever seem to grasp" he said nodding his head in Hermione's direction. She's managed to crawl a little away from him, closer to me.

"That's bullshit Weasley!" I yell. "How could you do this to someone who's been there for you through everything? After all the times she saved you and got you through tough situations, you still think she's beneath you? You're a bloody fool! You're no better than all the death eaters sitting in Azkaban!"

"Takes one to know one doesn't it scum" he bites back. "She belongs to me! I own her, and she still tried to shirk her duties! I gave her her chance, but she didn't take it. Now she'll pay like all the others. And I warned you to stay away from her! I told you you'd regret it if you didn't, but you didn't heed my warning either. So now, you can join her" A nasty smile forms on his hideous face. "Til death do you part, huh? Too bad you'll have to skip straight to that part. Oh, and by the way, your son is next. I can't wait to torture him into insanity. His screams will be music to my ears."

Rage courses through me at his words, and the fact that right now there is absolutely nothing I can do to this deranged lunatic "You're not gonna touch him!" I growl.

He laughs. "Oh, but I am. And after him it'll be your mother, aunt, Harry, and everyone else that has ever gone against me. I came out victorious ferret, me! I beat you! And now, I'm finally going to kill you, and wipe your lousy family from existence." He raises his wand slightly with his evil smile still in place, and begins to chant the killing curse. "AVAD-"

Out of the corner of my eye, I see something green come out of the front of Hermione's shirt pocket. It looks like a ball of fluff, and zooms straight at Weasley's face. He lets out an "Argh!" trying to swat it away, but this is just the opening I need. Charging forward, I tackle him to the ground, and we begin a struggle for his wand.

Between the two of us, we've both got our hands around it but the added pressure of our pushing and pulling snaps it in two. It's completely useless to me now. Hermione shakily rises to her feet coming towards us but I shout, "NO! Get out of here! Run! Get help!" She shakes her head, and I feel Weasley sock me right across the jaw.

"Draco!" she shouts. I struggle against him but manage to pin him down for a second, but he's strong and I know it won't last long.

"Harry and the aurors are coming! Find them, lead them here just go!" I yell desperately at her. She finally gets the message, and runs out of the tent. Good, now she's got a chance.

Weasley manages to twist his wrists out of my grasp and punches me again. We were on our sides, but he uses this opportunity to try and pin me under him. I'm able to deflect his sailing fist just in time and somehow turn the tables and pin him under me. I draw back my fist and punch him in the face again. Then again, and again.

I think of all the things he did to Hermione. The hell he put her through and what he planned to do to her tonight. How sick and crazy he is, and the fact that he enjoyed killing those people and somehow justified it in his mind. He was insane, just like my Aunt Bellatrix.

Aunt Bellatrix. She flashes in my mind and looking down at Weasley, I see her instead of him. It's like my anger and fury has blinded me, and morphed his features into someone I truly and utterly despised, and I punch him again. Horrible black and blue bruises have formed from where my fist repeatedly lands, but it drives me on.

I think of all the people she killed or tortured. _Punch_. I remember the absolute twisted glee she got every time she heard them scream or saw the life leave their eyes. _Punch_. I remember her crucioing Hermione over and over again on the floor of our drawing room, then carving that filthy insult into her arm. _Punch_. I remember the day I received my dark mark, and she tortured me mercilessly in front of all the other death eaters; her own nephew. _Punch_. She was so happy she got to carry out that initiation process for Voldemort. _Punch_.

Voldemort. Again Weasley's face morphs in my mind's eye, and I see the pale chalky snake like features of someone else that caused nothing but pain and misery. _Punch._ I remember the day he took residence in our home and humiliated us in front of all who once supposedly respected us. _Punch._ I remember him forcing me to watch him as he violently murdered innocent people for nothing more than simply being born to non magical parents. _Punch_. I remember the impossible task he set me with in sixth year, and how he threatened me and my mother's life if I didn't kill one of the greatest wizards who ever lived. _Punch_. I remember how that night when I returned to him with Snape, he tortured me for not following through and called me weak like my father, Lucius. _Punch_.

Lucius. _Punch_. Lucius. _Punch_. _My fucking father! Punch_. As all my childhood memories come rushing forward, I unleash all of my pent up rage and aggression and let my fists pound even more mercilessly than before. All I can see as I look down on him is the face of my father. I remember how nothing I ever did was good enough in his eyes. _Punch. _I remember him beating me or calling me worthless and nothing more than a disgrace. _Punch._ I remember the shame in his eyes anytime he looked at me, and how he forced me onto the path of a death eater and why I'll forever carry this fucking scar on my arm. _Punch_. I remember huddling in a corner as a child, being terrified out of my mind when he beat my mother in front of me, after she tried to save me from the cruciatus curse from his wand. _Punch_. I remember how even after his death, he hurt me again by forcing me into that marriage contract inadvertently hurting Scorpious too. _Punch._ And mostly I think of how every time I look in the mirror, all I can see are his features staring back at me and the absolute fear that I'll that no matter how hard I try, no matter what I do, I'll always pay for his mistakes. _Punch, punch, punch_.

All of their faces seem to run together. _Weasley, Bellatrix, Voldemort, Lucius, Weasley, Bellatrix, Voldemort, Lucius. Lucius, Lucius, LUCIUS!_

"Draco!" I hear a sweet voice call out to me through my daze. My fists are still flying, but they've become numb from the stings and I don't even see what I'm doing anymore. That sounds like Hermione. Why is she still here? I thought she'd left.

"Draco please, stop! You're going to kill him!" My focus is starting to come back, and my fists have slowed down. Weasley's face has stopped changing, but he looks terrible. As I completely stop hitting him, I realize that I've done this. I've beaten him beyond recognition in my fury. He's unconscious and bleeding profusely, but I can see that he's still breathing. Just barely.

Hermione slowly comes into my peripheral vision. She looks deep into my eyes with compassion and love, and only then do I realize that I'm crying.

"Draco" she whispers, coming closer. "You're better than him. Don't stoop to his level. It's over, he can't hurt any of us anymore." She tentatively reaches her hand out to me.

She's right. I'm not a murderer. I am better than my father and aunt, and Weasley. I won't let myself become them. I let out a deep, shaky breath then take her hand and rise. Tears stream down her face, and I pull her into my arms, holding her close and inhaling the scent of her hair. I was so scared I'd never get to have her like this again.

She's gotten Potter and the aurors, and they cuff Weasley, then take him away to a holding cell I presume. Potter looks at us, opens his mouth to say something, then closes it and gives us a moment of privacy. Hermione clutches my shirt in her dainty hands and through her sobs whispers, "It's over. We're free, he won't hurt us ever again."

I know she's talking about Weasley, but in my mind her words also reflect my feelings against all those who tried to hurt us, especially my father. Somehow through beating the tar out of Weasley, I got the closure I wanted with that slimy bastard who made my life hell for so many years. I press a kiss into her temple and begin rubbing my hands up and down her back.

"You're right love. It's over. It's finally over."

**AN: So…whaddya think? This was probably the most intense thing I've ever written. Am I forgiven for the cliff hanger? I thought you guys would appreciate the long chapter and Ron getting the crap beat out of him by Draco! I think everything is pretty explanatory now, but next chapter I'll have like a recap moment in case anything is unclear. As always, I enjoy your reviews!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing.**

**AN: Sorry for the delayed update, but I had two exams and a paper due this week.**

**Hermione Pov:**

"Ms. Granger, can you please tell us about your time spent with Mr. Weasley?"

Being on the stand as a witness at Flint's trial was one thing. Being here now was completely different. I'm surrounded by the Wizengamot, reporters, as well as friends and family. Looking up, I see Molly trying so hard to keep it together in front of the rest of her family, and Arthur staring on ahead trying to be strong. I can't even imagine what they must be going through.

It's been a week since Draco and I barely escaped Ron. My bruises and lip have begun to heal rather quickly, thanks to various potions. Ron on the other hand, not so much. I look down to him again where he's glaring daggers at me from next to his lawyer. His eyes look bottomless and hollow, but his face looks like one giant bruise. His nose was broken and his jaw fractured by Draco, but it looks like no one bothered to fix them. Probably a direct order from Harry…

"Ms. Granger?" Draco asks, getting my attention again. "Can you please tell the court about your experience with Mr. Weasley?"

I clutch my hands together in nervousness. I don't know if I can do this. I want Ron locked away for all that he's done, but I didn't think I would have to tell my story from before he kidnapped me. reporters from top newspapers stand in the back of the room with quills raised, ready to take down anything I say. Rita Skeeter wasn't allowed in thanks to Harry, but what if these reporters twist around what I say? Only Harry, Ginny, and Draco know about that part of my life, but soon the whole world will. Do I really want to share something so personal, even if it will help in sending him where he belongs? I hear a small whimper like sound from Molly and look up at her again. Oh Merlin, can she bare to hear what her son did to me? It was bad enough when Harry and Blaise had to tell them their son was a crazy serial killer and that he kidnapped me. This will just further break their hearts, and I don't want to put them through anymore.

"Hey" Draco murmurs softly coming up to me in the stand, and taking my hand. He rubs the back of it gently and looks into my eyes. "Pretend they're not here. It's just you and me talking. You can do this Hermione."

He's right, I can. This has to be done, no matter how hard it is on all of us. What will be published in the papers will probably be monitored before they're released, and the Weasley's know that Ron dug his own grave. Taking a deep breath, I look up to Draco and my jurors and begin my tale. I don't go nearly as in depth as I did when I told Draco, but I give all the important details. I answer every question he asks, and even fill in how Ron got me by myself and what happened before he and the others came to get me from the tent. When I'm done, Molly has her hand clasped over her heart and tears continuously leaking out of her eyes. Arthur holds onto her and gently rocks them back and forth. He whispers soothing things in her ear, but I can see the unshed tears in his own eyes.

Draco thanks me and says I can return to my seat. "You did well love" he whispers in my ear reassuringly as he helps me down from the stand. My part is over.

Harry takes the stand next to talk about what he and Draco discovered in Ron's apartment and how he pulled off all of the murders. After they arrested Ron, Harry and Blaise returned to the place in the forest. They discovered a hole Ron had dug behind the tent which he was planning to bury me in after he killed me. Upon further investigation, they found all of Ron's victims over the years, besides those whose bodies turned up recently, were buried around the campsite. There were probably twenty different corpses found. Turns out when he said they were 'beneath' him, he meant it literally.

His vengeful path started about a year after I left him. First it was Ron wanting to get back at the Chudley Cannon's team for firing him. He sent a mysterious gift to the coach who opened it and unleashed a poisonous gas in his face. It was Ron's hope that with the coach out of the way, he could take back his position once they found a new one. When it didn't work, he was discouraged but continued to torment other members of the team. He would disguise himself and send hexes and jinxes at them from the shadows of meet and greets, or generally threatening letters. When the aurors started heavily guarding them, he backed off.

Then there were the women. Ron frequented brothels and other places where loose women hung about, even more so after I left. He began taking them in to 'shape up' as his wife, but none of them ever made the cut. He abused and controlled them, and finally killed them. I think that he probably made up excuses just to hurt them because he enjoyed the power he held over them, and sadistically liked watching them in pain. He did the same thing to me.

His first victims were the women I found him cheating with in the papers that day. In some way, he convinced himself that they caused me to leave. He'd started going insane by then, and found his pleasure through having them at his mercy. Since they were prostitutes, no one really bothered to look for them because they'd been shunned by most of their families anyway. It became a pattern with so many of them, and he never showed up at the same whore house twice so to avoid suspicion. Why he chose to bury them in the Forest of Dean is still a mystery, and will probably only ever make sense to Ron's twisted mind.

He stuck to this routine for three years, but started getting a little sloppy once he started going after other types of women. Though most were still loose in a sense, they did have families that cared about them and would notice when they turned up missing. Ron often held the women captive in his apartment and refused to let them see their families. Most never even knew that their daughters or sisters were in a relationship with Ron, and if they did he made it appear as though they'd broken up long before the girl went missing. One girl was almost able to get away like I did. She snuck out, but made her mistake in going to the media instead of the aurors. She wanted to destroy his reputation and told them she wanted to press charges against him for violating her. He kidnapped and killed her, then polyjuiced himself as her and went back to the papers to say that she lied and made the whole thing up because she was upset he broke it off with her. That was the beginning of him polyjuicing himself.

His game slightly changed when I came back. He decided I was the cause of any misfortune that befell him, and I would be next. However, he knew he would have to plan it all carefully because of my closeness to Harry. He used disillusionment charms and polyjuice potion to stalk me. He followed me once when Draco walked me home after a date and discovered where I lived. He spent months trying to unbalance me hoping I would think my wards faulty and take them down. It was very clever and worked, allowing him to get in and destroy my flat. Once he was done, he then came to the game using the Cannons Keeper's pass to get into the private box. Players always have exclusive access in case the occupants of the box want to meet with them. By then he'd had the keeper locked up and had already tortured him into madness. He was able to apparate away once I ran out of the bathroom, and brutally murdered the player that night before placing his body on the quidditch field. The next two months he chose random women he could find and put their bodies out thinking he was sending us a message.

He began to get frustrated when he wasn't able to get to me again, and devised a plan. He polyjuiced himself as random people to get into the ministry and saw the secretary of the law department. He lured her away to his apartment, then killed her and took over her role for about a month so he was able to get closer to all of us. He was easily able to plant the memo's on Draco and Harry's desks while saying he had no clue who sent them, and also got his hands on a document that he sent to George saying there was an issue with his ownership contract. He was the one who broke into George's house and snuck into his bathroom to steal a few of his hairs from his brush. Then he busted in the shop window, knowing it would get Harry and Draco out of the ministry at the same time. While they were at the shop, he disguised himself as George to get me away from my protection. By holding onto his arm when we were in the floo, he was able to get past Draco's wards and killed the two aurors while I was upstairs. His entire scheme was incredibly planned out and went off without a hitch. Ron was always a great chess player in school. He knew exactly how to make his moves, and we were all pawns on his chessboard in his sick twisted game. He played us well and almost got away with it, but I guess karma finally caught up to him.

Once Harry finishes his story, Draco turns to the Wizengamot and tells his own version of how he found me and how he was able to overpower Ron. Had it not been for Tobias, both he and I would have been dead before Harry and the aurors got to us, and Ron would have probably been able to escape. I'd completely forgotten that he burrowed himself in my front pocket, and his distraction made all the difference in our situation. Pygmy puffs are very loyal to those they love and can sense when they're in danger. We rewarded him by buying an even bigger cage, which is practically like his own personal mansion, and Draco buys only the best and most expensive food. He's also discussed getting him a partner, although we're a little hesitant with the way pygmy puffs rapidly reproduce. Regardless, Tobias is probably the most spoiled puff that ever lived.

Once Draco makes his closing argument, we wait for about ten minutes to hear the verdict. They reach a decision and find Ron guilty on all charges. There was just too much against him for his lawyer to even try to put together a defense. He's sentenced to life in Azkaban, where Harry will make sure a dementor guards his cell at all times. As he's being led away he shouts obscenities over at Draco, Harry, and I and rambles madly to himself. It doesn't matter because there's nothing he can do. He allowed his anger and jealousy to overtake him and changed into this dark insane person. He let his negative traits fester and swell within him and chose this evil path, and will spend the rest of his life paying for it.

Draco hugs me close, then kisses my forehead and assures me that he'll never let anything like this happen to me ever again. I return his embrace, but over his shoulder see the Weasleys huddled together and surrounding a distraught Molly. She knew Ron deserved this, but she was still sad that she had in a sense lost another child and was probably blaming herself. Draco catches my gaze and nods for me to go ahead. I approach them very carefully, not quite sure what to say. Molly looks up at me through tear filled eyes, and my heart goes out to her.

"Hermione dear, I am so so _so _sorry" she chokes out. "I had no idea he was capable of such atrocities, I swear! We tried so hard to raise him right, but I guess-"

I cut her off as I put my arms around her and let her continue to sob on my shoulder as she fiercely hugs me back. "It's not your fault Molly" I say softly. "You did a wonderful job of raising your children. Don't blame yourself for their mistakes." We stand there holding each other and whispering apologies, and I assure all of them that we'll remain close despite this terrible experience. The Weasley's helped raise me and welcomed me into the magical world, and for that I'll be forever grateful. There my second family and will remain a huge part of my life.

A month later, I'm standing in Madame Maulkin's getting a few last minute touches and fittings for my wedding dress. Draco and I decided that with all that's happened in the past few months, we didn't want to wait anymore and are getting married this weekend. We thought Narcissa might be a little put out with our decision, since she was planning a huge extravagant wedding scheduled six months away, but she was surprisingly on our side. We didn't need a huge celebration, we just wanted our close friends and families there.

"Well dearie, everything seems fine, you just need a little extra material around your chest area" she says giving me a knowing smile. I blush, but don't further comment. In this past week, my breasts have gotten bigger and are practically falling out of my shirts. I'm also going to have to pick up a few new outfits as well. She goes off to the back to gather her materials, and I'm left standing on the little stand in front of a three way mirror in my gown. It's a white one shoulder gown with lace trimming. It molds to my body shape from my chest down to my hips, then flares out all the way to the ground. It's almost a mix between a sexy sleek style and a princess type ball gown. I feel truly exsquisite in it, and cannot wait for Draco to see me. It looks even better now with my new curves…

As I'm admiring my reflection in the mirror, I hear the front of the door open, and a woman comes in to look at robes, then catches sight of me. She slowly comes towards me until she's standing rather close and practically glares at me through my reflection in the mirror. She's really a beautiful woman with honey blonde hair, and dark blue eyes, but the scowl marring her features takes away from it. I feel like I've seen her before, but don't think I've ever had a conversation with her. Maybe I just saw her in passing on the streets, or around Hogwarts? She had to have been in a younger grade if that's the case.

"So it's true then? Draco's actually marrying you?" she asks haughtily Obviously she doesn't like me and is probably some pureblood chit with a crush on Draco. When we first got together, I got a letter or two from some still bigoted purebloods who didn't think I deserved to be in the presence of the great Draco Malfoy because of my heritage. We just laughed at their pettiness and didn't give it another thought. None of them have ever approached me though.

"Yes" I say flatly meeting her glare through the mirror. I'm not in the mood to deal with anymore mess thrown our way. Draco, Scorpious, and I have been through hell and back and have come through it as a family. Nothing she can say is going to ruin my happiness.

She sniffs at me then says, "Such a shame that he's ruining centuries of pureblood. Then again, he became a blood traitor when his father was no longer around to guide him. But this stunt has truly dragged him down past the point of no return. It's disgusting really." She looks me up and down with clear distaste on her face. She's really starting to get on my nerves. I don't know who she is, but what makes her think she has the right to come here and say these horrible things about my future husband?

As though sensing my thoughts through my hateful glare at her, a condescending smile takes over her face. "How rude of me. We haven't even been properly introduced. I'm Astoria Greengrass." She hisses the s sound like a snake as she continues to look down her nose at me like I'm some kind of bug or rodent. Why is she talking to me? It's not like she can say or do anything, after all she signed over all parental rights to Scorpious. Surely she's not stupid enough to try to hurt me to try and call of our wedding. Why does she even care? She left Draco and Scorpious.

"I don't know what you want or why you're talking to me, but nothing you say or do will stop Draco and I from getting married, nor from me adopting Scorpious" I say to her, feeling my ire rise. Her eyes widen at the last part. I guess she wasn't expecting me to actually adopt him. Good, I want her to know that I've completely erased all chances of her ever coming back into his life. It might be vindictive, but after what she did she doesn't deserve another chance with him. "Yes, Scorpious will legally be mine very soon. He already calls me mommy. He's wonderful, and didn't deserve what you did." I almost spit that out at her.

She looks taken aback for a moment, before anger overtakes her. She turns to face me fully, then hisses. "What the hell was I supposed to do? I was only nineteen! I didn't want to be a mother then! I'd just gotten out of school, and was immediately married off before I even got the chance to live my life. I thought it would be a dream come true to marry Draco Malfoy, but then he changed! He completely disregarded everything he'd ever been taught and mingled with half-bloods and mudbloods" she spits at me, fuming. "We were taught all our lives about the importance of blood purity. It angered me that he could just turn his back on all of that. We had nothing in common, and then when we had Scorpious he said that he wasn't going to continue with our teachings. I was going to have a kid that _didn't care_ that he was superior to all others! I couldn't just ignore and go against what I'd known my whole life! And I had no idea what I was doing with him! Hell, I was just a kid myself. I didn't ask for any of that!" she's nearly panting as she finishes her tirade.

I myself am beyond enraged. Did she hear the words coming out of her mouth? What does she expect me to understand her reasons and feel sorry for her? I've only known her all of five minutes but already she's become the most selfish and hateful person I know.

"Is that supposed to justify everything?" I hiss back. "Just because you were taught something as a child that your husband didn't agree with, you take it out on the child? Are you ignorant?! Look around you! The world has changed! Don't you think it was hard on all of the others who were taught the same ideals when they turned their backs on it? But they got over it and went along with what the ministry was trying to do! And now look at them. They're living peacefully among all of us and consider those who are not of pureblood an equal. Merlin, we fought a bloody war over this issue! Did it not teach you anything? Blood doesn't matter! My blood is not dirtier than yours, no matter what you were taught growing up! And you walked out on your child because you didn't _ask _for him or your circumstances?! That is the stupidest and most selfish reason I have ever heard in my life! Do you think he asked to be born to two parents that hated each other? Do you think Draco asked to be forced into the marriage contract with you? Do you think I asked to be discriminated against when I joined the wizarding world all because I have muggle parents?! No one asks for the obstacles they are thrown in life, but we get through them and don't run away because it's not what we wanted!" By the end of my own tirade, I'm panting too and we continue to glare viciously at each other.

After a few seconds of silence, Astoria straightens back up. She still looks condescendingly at me, but there's something else in her eyes. Almost like a glimmer of respect for what I've just said to her. "Look, I didn't expect to run into you when I came in here, and I didn't come over to necessarily fight with you" she says.

"Oh? Surely it wasn't to invite me over for tea! What pray tell, were you hoping to accomplish by coming over to speak to me?" I ask sarcastically.

She huffs through her nose. "You and I will clearly never get along. I won't see you as anything more than a mudblood, and you won't see my view point of things. I'll probably never be able to accept those of impure blood, and you'll continue to promote equality. However, I know you're a strong woman. I've seen the papers regarding the trial, and I know about your story. I also know that you'll be the mother Scorpious needs. He was never really mine. I may have carried and delivered him, but I wasn't ready to be a mother. I don't expect you to consider my reasons or to care, but me giving him up was probably the best thing I could have done for him. I don't like you and think you'll taint the Malfoy line, but you can give him what I never could. Good day, Ms. Granger." With that, she turns on her heel and walks out of the shop.

I think about my encounter with Astoria all day. I know it's hard to forget everything you've ever been taught and embrace the exact opposite, but damnit nearly all the other Slytherins were able to do it! It was the only way they would be able to survive in our world and although many of them aren't marrying a muggle born like Draco, I'm sure they won't necessarily encourage their children to do the same. They won't continue with these prejudices because they know what such hatred can lead to. I have no sympathy in my heart for Astoria. Her decisions were wrong and her reasoning beyond stupid. However, some of her mothering instinct did come out today during our confrontation. It was very slight, but still there. She acknowledged what was best for Scorpious. Over the years the guilt of her choice will begin to eat away at her, and one day she'll look back and be so ashamed of what she did. But it's already too late. She chose her path and, like Ron, she'll be forever paying for it.

My wedding day comes, and I find myself a jittery mess of nerves right before I'm supposed to walk down the aisle towards Draco. The wedding is being held in the gardens of the manor, with only our friends, family, and a few trusted reporters such as Luna Lovegood from the Quibbler to capture our special day. Scorpious and James both got to be ring bearers and looked so handsome in their tailored tuxes. Those two really are something else. Victoire and Dominique are my two little flower girls and are absolutely adorable in their white and blue dresses. My bridesmaids, Fleur and Gabrielle walk down the aisle next, then my maid of honor, Ginny after she squeezes my hand. Finally I hear the wedding march, and my dad walks me down the aisle. All stand and eyes turn to me, but I'm only looking ahead at Draco. He stares at me in awe, never ceasing to make me feel beautiful, and all of my jitters leave. This is what I truly want, and my life is about to be complete.

I take his hand and Kingsley presides over the ceremony. It only lasts about twenty minutes, and we take the traditional vows, both muggle and wizard. When it's time to seal our bond with a kiss, he grabs me around the waist and dips me like they do in the romance movies I got him to watch with me. The wedding guests cheer, and his best man Blaise has to almost pull him up to get us to stop kissing. I blush, but we both laugh not caring about how silly we must look to them. I've never been so happy in my life.

We proceed into a section in the gardens that has several tables set up and begin dinner. After wards are the toasts and the speeches begin. First are his groomsmen and Theo steps up. He's not a mushy guy and simply says he's happy for us and wishes the best. Next is Harry, whom says that he never saw this coming, but life has a funny way of turning out and he knows we're perfect for each other. He wishes us years of happiness and many other blessings. Finally it's Blaise's turn, who decides to start off with embarrassing stories about Draco, such as the time in third year when I punched him in the face and how he was turned into a ferret. Scorpious looks over at him with a mixture of amusement and awe while Draco glares at Blaise good naturedly. At the end of his speech, he raises his glass to us and says there are no two people more perfect for each other and he knows we'll be happy for the rest of our lives before saying cheers.

Draco and I have our first dance, and he holds me tightly. Others join afterwards, but we remain dancing together through a few more songs until Narcissa cuts in requesting a dance. I go off and dance with my father, Harry, and even Scorpious and James. Looking around I also happen to catch Blaise dancing with Gabrielle in a gentlemanly fashion. He really likes her, and I hope things work out between them. I don't know if he'll ever settle down, but after everything we've been through I believe everyone deserves to have a significant other and hope Blaise finds his someone too.

Finally, it's time to say goodbye to our friends and family and go off for our honeymoon. The guests throw rice at us as we pass, and at the end of the line is Narcissa holding Scorpious. She wishes us a fun time, and says not to worry about anything because she'll take good care of Scorpious. I know she will, but this will be the longest Draco or I have ever been away from him, even though its only for a week. We both hug and kiss him fiercely and he begs us one more time to take him with us to the Virgin Islands. He huffs and crosses his arms when we tell him no again, but Draco embraces him again and says that he'll bring him something back and we'll go on a trip somewhere with him soon. His answer seems to pacify him for now, and he goes back into Narcissa's arms without much fuss.

Draco apparates me to the private beach houses he purchased on one of the islands. Of course by house, I mean mini mansion that a family of five could live comfortably in and probably manage to not see each other. Him and his extravagant ways are something I'll eventually learn to get used to. He picks me up bridal style and carries me into the master suite, where we make gentle love over and over again. Finally we take a break and lay idly next to each other catching our breaths. Once we're done panting, Draco gets up and goes over to one of his bags to pull something out. He comes back over to me and hands me a document.

"For you love. As my wedding gift" he smiles while handing me the papers. I look down and feel tears of joy prickling in the back of my eyes. It's an official document naming me as Scorpious' legal mother. He's officially mine in every way now. "Oh, Draco" I breathe. "Thank you. I'm so happy…"

He kisses me on the lips. "Me too Hermione. He finally has a mother, and I have an incredible and beautiful wife. Our family is complete." We make out for a little bit before he pulls back and gives me his dazzling smile. "I plan on enjoying this week fully, but I can't wait to get back to him. We're going to start our new life together and build up so many memories, just the three of us." He moves down to trail kisses down my neck, and I suppose now would be a good time to tell him.

"Draco?"

"Hmm?" he mutters while still continuing his ministration.

"What if it's not just the three of us?" I ask.

He stops what he's doing and pulls back to look at me in confusion. "What do you mean?"

I cup his face in my hands and stare into his eyes. "What if in a few months, the three of us became the four of us?" He still has a confused look, but then realization dawns on him.

"Are…are you…?" he can't seem to get the words out, but I know what he's asking. I smile and nod.

His breathtaking smile comes across his face again, and his eyes shine in happiness. "You're pregnant? Merlin Hermione this is wonderful! We're going to have a baby! Scorpious will be thrilled to be an older brother, and mother will be beside herself in glee! How far along are you?"

"About three months. I found out for sure a few weeks ago, and I wanted it to be my wedding gift to you" I say. The joy in his eyes fades at my words, but I know him well enough to know what he's thinking and what subtle meaning he picked up from my what I've said.

"Three months? But that means…you were pregnant when you were…when Weasley…"

I place my finger on his lips to silence him. "I know, and I was worried too. But I went to the healers and had them check. Everything is fine. The baby is growing normally and there's no reason to be concerned. It's as healthy as can be."

The dark look leaves his features and the joy comes back. He swoops down and kisses me again. "This is wonderful Hermione! We're going to have another baby! Life is finally going our way." We don't talk anymore after that, and continue with our previous activities until the sun comes up. When we're finally too exhausted to carry on, he cradles my back into his front and wraps his arm possessively over my stomach. As I drift off to sleep, all I can think about is how happy I am and the new life we'll have together.

**AN: So, I decided to give you all a bit of fluff to make up for my lack of updating. I know I said I wouldn't bring Astoria back, but one of you suggested a scenario like this and I found it interesting and decided to go with it. Also I'd like to say something completely irrelevant to the story but regarding some of the things you've said in reviews. I just want to let you know that I don't hate Ron or Lucius. WHAT?! Shocker I know, considering the story I've just written. Although I was never a fan of the pairing of Ron and Hermione together, I still liked his character. And sure Lucius made some really bad mistakes, but in the end he gave up fighting in the final battle, more concerned with finding his son and making sure he was safe. I think that if Hermione and Draco were to actually have gotten together in the series, Lucius would probably have been accepting of it, though it might be hard for him at first considering what he had been taught his whole life. I just needed someone to portray the villains in this story so I could go build their relationship, and Ron and Lucius fit the bill. If I continue writing stories for FF, I'll probably have them as good guys, or as good as Lucius can be. Next chapter will be an epilogue!**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and characters belong to JK Rowling. I own nothing.**

**AN: Well, we've reached the end! Thanks so much for all of your feedback and following this story! You guys rock!**

_**Epilogue: Eight Years Later**_

**Draco Pov:**

I sit at a table on the back deck with my arm wrapped around Hermione, watching the kids in the pool. We'd moved into this house about three years ago, needing more room for our family. It was a Victorian style seven bedroom, four bathroom house out in the country with plenty of land, breathtaking scenery, and a nice size pool in the backyard for the kids. I bought it as a surprise for my beautiful wife on one of our anniversaries. It was large and spacious, but not vastly enormous like the manor or one of our many villas; a perfect compromise between the two of us.

The backdoor opens, and the Potter kids run out with their parents right behind them. The kids shout a quick hello at us, then head straight for the water. James greets Scorpious as he jumps in, and they both grin mischieviously while casting glances and smirks over at Teddy and Victoire. Those two obviously liked each other and were always flirting whenever they were in the same room. Victoire is tanning while Teddy tries to impress her with a quidditch story from back at Hogwarts. He's chaser for the Gryffindor quidditch team, much to my chagrin since I lost ten galleons to Potter. Can't say I didn't try. Both teens are completely oblivious to the two pranksters sneaking towards them and I have a feeling they're about to end up drenched.

Albus heads straight for Caelum, and they begin racing laps. Those two are technically only eight months apart, but will be a year behind each other in school. They're good friends, but fiercely competitive and have opposing personalities. I guess their friendship strongly resembles the one between Potter and I.

Ginny grabs her six year old daughter Lily before she can make it far, and casts a bunch of protection charms against the sun on her. She was the only one out of their three kids that inherited her mother's fair skin and vast array of freckles. I can completely relate to the dangers of being out too long in the sun with my pale skin, which I'd hoped I wouldn't pass on to my kids, but did to two.

Hermione and I now have four kids, much to mother's delight who spoils them rotten. Scorpious will be turning eleven this September, but won't be attending Hogwarts until the following year because of the way his birthday falls. That's fine with him, seeing as he'll be in the same age group as James. He's clever and cunning, and will take over Slytherin just like I did. He's already the ring leader between all his group of friends. Out of all our children, he still looks the most like me, and even slicks his hair back much like I did in my younger years. All of my children strangely enough, inherited my blonde hair even though Hermione's color was supposed to be the dominant gene. She told me once she suspected one of my ancestors cast a spell on the Malfoy line to make it that way so that we always stood out to others. Wouldn't surprise me.

Caelum, our second born, is now seven. He got Hermione's eyes and tan skin, but other than that looks exactly like Scorp and I. He's very cunning, manipulative, and according to Hermione, cockier than me. I disagreed, telling her he was only confident, but he is one of my sons after all, and is entitled to his cockiness. As I continuously remind her, we are Malfoys after all, and only the best and finest specimen come from our gene pool. He's a quick talker and thinker and is often the one that causes the most trouble, but he's honestly a good kid. Nowhere near like I was in school or the other Slytherins for that matter. He looks out for his younger siblings, and nearly worships the ground Scorpious walks on. They're close and I think Scorpious considers him his protégé.

Orion is our next. The five year old looks exactly like Hermione, except for his platinum blonde hair, and even acts the most like her. He's very adventurous and loves to learn. He's probably our most inquisitive child and asks more questions than anyone I know. He'll definitely be a Gryffindor, but unlike his mother, is good at sports and can handle a broom. Scorp and Caelum will be stars on the Slytherin quidditch team, but Orion will be the star of Gryffindor. Me and my three boys often play quidditch when we get home from work and school, and they honestly have incredible talents. Just one of the many amazing qualities they got from me.

Our last child and only daughter is our two year old, Carina. She's almost a perfect mix between Hermione and I. She has my hair color, but Hermione's waves, my eye color, but her eye shape, my high cheekbones, and Hermione's button nose. I love all of my children equally, but am probably the most protective towards her, as are her three older brothers. Good, that means they can watch over her when she goes off to Hogwarts. She's my little princess and has me completely wrapped around her finger. I really don't know which house she'll end up in. she knows how to get people to do what she wants, but is also very brave and loyal. It could go either way, but I still have nine years to shape her up as a Slytherin.

Carina is currently playing in the shallow end with Blaise's daughter Isabella. Probably the biggest shocker to us, as well as the rest of the wizarding world, was when 'most eligible bachelor', king of one night stands, never in his life been in a serious relationship Blaise Zabini, settled down with Gabrielle Delacour. They were in the papers and magazines for months after they announced their engagements, some calling it a joke or a rumor until they actually tied the knot three years ago. I never thought he was serious about her, but he spent four years building up a friendship, courting her, dating her, and finally marrying her. She brought out the gentleman in him, and he in turn brought a wilder side of her out, though she's still prim and proper when out in public.

Blaise was scared to death when he found out he was going to be a father a year after he and Gabrielle married, but his fear was replaced by love when Isabella came into the world. It reminded me of the way I felt before I had Scorpious. Blaise is a sucker for his daughter and she too has him wrapped around her tiny finger. Gabrielle is eight months pregnant with their second child, a son they'll name Gabriel. Since he'll be born in the summer, she won't have to take maternity leave from her job as the History of Magic teacher at one of the schools.

About two months after Caelum was born, The Remus and Tonks School of Young Witchcraft and Wizardry was opened. The school was a huge success and nearly everyone we knew sent their kids to it. Not only did it prepare the kids for when they went off to their boarding schools, but it made a way for pure bloods, half bloods, and muggle borns to come together. In fact, we've almost completely stopped identifying people based on blood, and just simply refer to them all as witches and wizards. Hermione works as the astronomy teacher, a great position considering we named our children after the stars and constellations, and was the one who decided on the name to honor our old professor and my cousin whom I regrettably never got the chance to meet. Andromeda was thrilled and has taken over the position of principle, which Hermione tells me is similar to Headmistress.

When Orion was born, the Wizarding World went through a baby boom. Families were encouraged to have more kids because we were still trying to make up for all the lives lost in the war, but also the number of muggle born children continued to rise, more so than it has in history. Because of this, it was decided a second school should be built to help accommodate the population growth. The James and Lily Potter School was just finished last year, and is the one at which Gabrielle works. I'm not entirely sure who exactly chose the name, but I'm sure it was Hermione's idea again. If there's ever another school that comes up, I'd be willing to bet that she'll name it after Sirius Black. This school is in Oxford, and isn't quite as big as Remus and Tonks', but still a good size. Mother has assumed the Principal/Headmistress position, and couldn't be happier. I think it's her way of redeeming the Black name as well as the Malfoy name, and she's done a marvelous job.

No one has gotten in the way or tried to steal our happiness since the trial. Weasley is locked away, where he does nothing but babble incoherently. I don't think he'll ever be a problem, but Potter kept true to his word about a dementor guarding his cell at all times. I never liked the prick, but I never thought he had such evil in him. His family was broken up for him which is completely understandable. As a father, I can't imagine what I would do if one of my kids committed such unspeakable acts. Hermione said that the Weasley's loved the Ron that existed before. That's how they imagine their son if he ever crosses their mind, not the monster sitting in Azkaban. I guess it's better to think of it that way instead of accepting what's become of him. Regardless, we love the Weasley family and often leave our kids in the care of Molly and Arthur if ever we have to work late or go on business trips. They're just like another set of grandparents, and I'll forever be thankful to them for choosing our side over their son's.

Astoria never made another appearance either. Hermione told me about the day in the dress shop, but I ignored it after she told me what all was said. Astoria was always trying to play victim, and never wanted to take responsibility for anything. I read in papers a few years ago that she ended up marrying some pureblooded man from Ireland who was old enough to be her dad. She'd foolishly squandered away her settlings from our divorce and needed to secure her meal ticket and continue to support her spending addiction. Two years ago, she randomly sent Scorpious an owl to see if he wanted to meet some time for lunch or tea. I was livid when he showed it to me, and didn't want him to go. What did she think she was doing? She walked out on him when he was a baby, not that she spent much time with him before that anyway, but why was she wanting to come back now? We'd told Scorpious the truth when he was either five or six, but explained that Hermione was his legal mother and loved him just as much as the others. He never really said much about it. I wasn't going to allow him to see Astoria, but Hermione told me that it was Scorpious' choice and we had to respect whatever decision he chose. We both approached him and asked him if he wanted to meet the cow, but to my relief he simply shook his head and said he already had a mother and didn't want to meet some random woman who couldn't compare. Though she never said anything, I think Hermione was just as thrilled by his answer as I was. Astoria finally realized her mistake and is probably torn up about it, but my son and I have no sympathy for her.

Hermione leans her head against my shoulder, and I plant a kiss on her forehead. I still can't believe I got this witch all to myself. We have had our ups and downs like every couple, but every day I try to tell her at least once how beautiful she is and how much I love her. She stepped in and became Scorpious' mother when he didn't have one, gave me three more amazing children, found a way to almost completely eradicate prejudices, and continues to help the wizarding world in any way that she can. She even goes as far as to tell me she's the lucky one for getting me, and reminds me that I'm not my father and won't make the same mistakes he did. I was able to completely heal all the damage that Weasley caused to her self esteem, and she's definitely more confident. I can't tell you how much I enjoy rubbing it in men's faces anytime we go out for charity events or formal balls, that I'm married to the Gryffindor Godess. She in turn, helped me learn to forgive myself for past mistakes and not take the blame for the sins of other members of my family. Although the Malfoy name is now once again respected, it is no longer feared and that's the way it should be.

Leaning back in my chair, I look around at all our friends and family. Everyone is laughing or smiling, and just enjoying each other's company. This scene would have never played out when I was a child, but I'm glad that I was able to give this to my kids. With Hermione by my side and all the other people we're close to, I know I can take anything life throws at me and continue to make my wife and children proud. Hermione looks up and gives me her smile only reserved for me. I return one of my own, then lean down and capture her lips, enjoying the feel of them against mine as I always do. Life was finally perfect.

**AN: Finished! I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! I'd like to do another Dramione multi chapter fic, but so far haven't had any ideas. I'll probably do a few one shots until something comes up, unless someone wants to make a plot request Thanks again all my lovely readers and reviewers!**


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